My Best Friend's Haught
by LyricalDisaster
Summary: Waverly Earp is a Senior in high school, head cheerleader, and dating the hottest guy in school, Champ Hardy. But when the new girl at school, Nicole Haught, introduces herself and the two become fast friends, Waverly starts to notice some things about herself. One: her new best friend is totally hot. And two: she might not be as straight as she thinks.
1. Shit, I Think I'm Gay

**An AU Wynonna Earp fanfiction in Waverly's point of view.**

 **Waverly Earp is a Senior in high school, head cheerleader, and dating the hottest guy in school, Champ Hardy. But when the new girl at school, Nicole Haught, introduces herself and the two become fast friends, Waverly starts to notice some things about herself. One: her new best friend is totally hot. And two: she might not be as straight as she thinks.**

 **(the fan art used for the cover was found here: www. pinterest amissflygirl/ wayhaught/?lp=true )**

* * *

"Waves, you're gonna be late for school!" Wynonna shouted through my bedroom door.

I sighed as I finished braiding my hair. "I'm almost done!" I shouted back.

I finished my braid and then looked at myself in the mirror, adjusting my crop top and high-waisted jeans. When I felt that I looked as hot as I could get, I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs. Willa and Daddy sat at the kitchen table, eating breakfast.

"Morning, Daddy," I greeted, kissing his cheek.

He grumbled in response, not looking at me. I sighed.

"Morning, Willa," I said, looking at Willa now.

Willa looked up at me, but said nothing. I swallowed and then turned to grab a banana.

"Hey, come on, baby girl. We gotta get going," Wynonna said, grabbing her keys.

I nodded and followed her.

"Have a good day," Willa said as I walked out.

"Thanks," I replied.

Daddy didn't say anything. He hadn't been the same since Mama left. Then again, he was never very involved in my life. Willa was always the mean older sister. She'd gotten a little bit nicer as we grew up, but it still feels like she hates me. Wynonna was always nice to me. She was the only one who celebrated my birthday. Asked me how school was, or actually bothered to go to back-to-school nights, or even took me to school and picked me up. One day when she was at work, I had to walk home all by myself, and the Homestead is pretty far away from school.

"You wanna stop and get some breakfast?" Wynonna asked as we got into her truck.

"I have a banana," I told her.

Wynonna nodded and started the truck. The whole drive to school, Wynonna asked me about school and my friends, and my boyfriend, Champ.

"Honestly, I don't even know what you see in Champ," she laughed.

I giggled. "I don't know... I mean, it was him or Tom," I told her.

"What, they both asked you out at the same time?" Wynonna asked.

"Yep. And a few other guys... Most of them were jackasses."

"Champ is a jackass."

"Sometimes."

"Is he good in bed?"

"Wynonna!"

"What? As your big sister, I'm entitled to know these things!"

"No! I am not telling you about my sex life!"

"Oh, come on!"

"Fine... Not really..."

Wynonna laughed. "Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know... I just never feel like doing it."

"Maybe you just don't wanna do it with him."

"Maybe... But shouldn't I? I mean, he's my boyfriend."

Wynonna shrugged. "That's a question you gotta ask yourself, baby girl. I've never had that problem."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I know."

Everyone around Purgatory had their own opinion about Wynonna. But the most popular opinion was that she needed to keep her legs closed. That's not something you wanna hear about your big sister no matter how much she slept around. Which, she did, I couldn't deny that. Personally, I don't see what the big deal about sex is. It's not that great, and it doesn't get any better no matter how many times I do it with Champ. It's just... bad.

Wynonna pulled up to the school and parked. She grabbed me and kissed my cheek.

"Have a good day, baby girl," she told me.

I smiled. "Bye, Wyn."

I climbed out of the truck and waved at Wynonna one last time before heading off into the school. I walked happily down the hallway to my locker and opened it. I grabbed one of my books and then closed the locker. As I was about to turn around, I felt hands grab my waist and pull me back. Champ pulled me against him and kissed my neck. I smiled.

"Hey, babe," Champ said.

"Hi," I replied.

Champ spun me around and smiled at me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. I felt his hands slide down and grab my ass. I pulled away and hit him with my book.

"Ow!" He exclaimed.

"Don't do that!" I told him firmly.

I pushed him off and started to walk away. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to him.

"Oh, come on, Waverly!" Champ whined.

"No. I hate when you do that!" I told him.

I pulled my arm away and glared at him.

"You know I don't like it when you grab me like that in public."

"I know, I'm sorry, babe."

"I'll see you later."

"Come on, Waverly!"

I shook my head and walked away as fast as I could. I didn't pay attention and ran right into another girl.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention," I apologized.

"No, it was my fault," the girl replied.

"No, no. It was me, I-" I looked up at her and froze.

She was... wow. Just- oh, wow. She had short red hair, light brown eyes, and her lips looked so soft... I just wanted to k- What the hell am I doing? I blinked and smiled at her.

"Sorry. I-I'm Waverly. Waverly Earp." I said, introducing myself.

The girl smiled back. "Nicole. Nicole Haught."

 _Yes, you are._

I mean... What?!

"Pleased to meet you... Nicole Haught."

"The pleasure is all mine, Waverly Earp."

Nicole smiled again and I couldn't stop myself from blushing like crazy. Her dimples made my heart do jumping jacks. What is this?

"A-are you new?" I asked her.

"Yeah. I moved here from the city," Nicole told me.

"City girl, huh? I bet you know how to have a good time," I flirted.

 _Oh, God, what am I doing?_

Nicole was still smiling. "I guess so. But from what I hear, it's the small town girls who really know how to have some fun."

I couldn't tell if she was flirting back, but it really seemed like she was.

"Come to one of our parties some time and see for yourself," I told her.

"Maybe I will," she replied.

I smiled and nodded. "Okay, well, do you need someone to show you around?"

Nicole nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that, actually."

"Okay. Well, right this way," I told her.

We started walking down the hallway together, and I kept glancing at Nicole from the corner of my eye every once in awhile. I don't know what it is about her... She's just so... gorgeous.

I showed her around the school, and even sat near each other in class. She was surprised to find out that we have a lot of the same classes. Technically, at my age, I should be a Junior, but I got bumped up a grade because I'm smarter than a lot of the other kids my age. Nicole seemed to like that about me, which made me feel really good. No one besides Wynonna celebrated the fact that I was smart. Not even Champ. There were actually a few rumors going around that Champ was only dating me because people think I'm the hottest girl on the cheer squad.

"What do you want to do after graduation?" Nicole asked me as we sat in the back field after school was over.

"I want to study ancient cultures and languages," I answered.

"Wow. That's really cool," she replied.

I smiled. "What about you?" I asked.

"I'm gonna go to the police academy in the city. Maybe get a job at the sheriff's department."

"You wanna be a cop?"

"Yeah."

"Why?" I asked, curious to know her reasoning.

Nicole shrugged. "I don't know... I've just always wanted to," she replied.

I nodded slowly, opening my mouth to respond, but I was interrupted by the sound of Champ's voice.

"Waverly!" He shouted, jogging towards us.

I looked up, sighing.

"Who's that?" Nicole asked.

"Um... My boyfriend, Champ," I answered.

Nicole made a face. "Champ?" She questioned.

Champ reached us and sat down in the grass next to me.

"Babe, I've been looking for you all day!" He said.

"Sorry, I was showing Nicole around school," I replied, not looking at him.

"Oh, come on, you're not still mad at me, are you?" He asked me, beginning to kiss my cheek repeatedly, trailing down to my neck.

I saw Nicole tense up out of the corner of my eye, and I felt bad. I really shouldn't feel bad. I'd just met this girl, and I didn't even know what was going on with her yet.

"Um. I'm gonna go ahead and take off, Waverly." Nicole spoke, standing up and brushing the grass off of her jeans.

I looked up at her. "Oh... Are- are you sure?" I asked, not wanting her to leave.

"Yeah. I have your number. I'll text you later," she told me.

I nodded. "O-okay."

Nicole smiled at me one more time before turning around and walking off. I couldn't stop myself from watching her leave. She has a really nice butt... Wow, I need to stop. I sighed as Champ stopped kissing me and watched Nicole leave as well.

"New girl?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Cool," Champ said, returning to kissing my neck.

I tried my best to act like I was into it. I was beginning to realize that I didn't really like Champ anymore... or that I never really did. The way I felt when Nicole looked at me, even though we'd just met, was something new... I'd never felt that way before.

 _Shit, I think I'm gay..._

 _I'm just gonna keep that to myself for now..._

Champ looked at me. "You okay?" He asked softly.

I looked at him and nodded, giving him my sweetest smile. "I'm fine," I replied.

"Wanna come to my place?" He asked, grinning.

He wanted to have sex... Maybe that would distract me from Nicole? That was a terrible idea but I mean, what did I have to lose?

I nodded. "Okay," I told him.

We stood up and he grabbed my hand, leading me to the parking lot. While we walked, I pulled out my phone and texted Wynonna.

 ** _Wav: I'm going over to Champ's. I'll be home late._**

 ** _Wyn: tell captain sleazy to wear a condom._**

I rolled my eyes and smirked a bit. I climbed into Champ's truck and we drove to his house. When we got there, we got out of the truck and went straight to Champ's room. He closed the door behind us and kissed me. I kissed him back trying to get myself excited (though, to be honest, I was never excited). We ended up on his bed, taking each other's clothes off. Right before anything actually started, I looked at him quite seriously.

"Condom." I said firmly, giving him the best face I could that said I meant it, as he likes to forget.

Champ sighed and got up to go get one. He realized he didn't have any, so he tried to come back onto the bed with me.

"No. _Condom_ , Champ. I'm serious," I told him, pushing him away.

"But I don't have any more!" He protested.

 _How could he not have any more? We don't have that much sex._ I shook my head.

"Then go buy some," I told him.

"Now?"

"Yes, now. Go."

"Fine. But you stay here."

"Fine."

Champ kissed me and then pulled his jeans and shoes on and grabbed his shirt, putting it on on his way out. I sighed when he was gone and took my hair out of its braid, running my fingers through it. I heard my phone buzz on the nightstand next to me and grabbed it.

 ** _Unknown: Hi, Waverly. It's Nicole_**

 ** _WE: Oh, hey, you!_**

 ** _I smiled, adding her number to my contacts._**

 ** _NH: Sorry for leaving so early. I know you wanted to hang out_**

 ** _WE: It's okay. I kinda forgot I had a boyfriend for a second there_**

 ** _NH: Well, do you still wanna hang out?_**

Oh, shit. What am I gonna do? I'm sitting here, in my bra and underwear, waiting for Champ to get back from the store with condoms! I can't tell her that! Ugh. This is horrible!

 _ **WE: Yeah, totally. It's just that-**_

 _ **NH: What?**_

 _ **WE: I'm kind of at Champ's right now...**_

 _ **NH: Oh... You guys were gonna...?**_

 _ **WE: Uh.. yeah... But he's gone right now... And between you and me... I'd really rather hang out with you**_

After I sent that text and immediately locked my phone and put it at my side, covering my face. I can't believe I just said that her... I'd rather hang out with her than have sex with my boyfriend? Well, it's not like it wasn't the truth, but damn it, Waverly, what happened to trying to keep this whole thing to yourself?

My phone buzzed again. I picked it up, seeing a new text from Nicole.

 ** _NH: Then make something up :)_**

I smiled a bit.

 ** _WE: I could tell him that my sister needs my help with something?_**

 ** _NH: Perfect._**

 ** _WE: Good._**

 ** _NH: Text me when you're out and I'll come get you :)_**

 ** _WE: Sure thing :)_**

I put my phone away and got up, putting my clothes on. Just as I finished buttoning my jeans, Champ walked in and frowned when he saw me.

"What? Oh, come on. Don't tell me you're leaving!" He exclaimed.

"I have to. Wynonna needs my help with something," I told him.

"She can't wait?" Champ questioned, stepping in my way.

"No. But you can. I'll see you later, Champ." I walked around him.

I left his house and shakily pulled my phone out of my pocket.

 _ **WE: I left his house.**_

 _ **NH: Where are you?**_

I texted her the street name and she told me she'd be there in a few minutes, so I stood and waited for her. When she pulled up in her car, I felt my heart beat faster. I smiled. This was such a scary and exciting feeling. She rolled the window down and smiled at me.

"You gonna get in or what?"

I chuckled a bit and then opened the passenger door, climbing into the car.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Hey," Nicole replied.

She started driving and I felt more and more relieved as we got further from Champ's house. We decided to go out to eat at the local diner, sitting across from each other at the booth. Nicole looked so beautiful... I tried to keep myself from staring at her, but it wasn't working. She was busy looking over the menu, trying to find something she liked.

"Help me out here, Waverly. You're the one who's lived here your entire life," Nicole said, laughing.

I pulled her menu down and looked at it. "Mm..." I hummed as my eyes scanned the menu.

I pointed at my favorite thing on the menu.

Nicole looked and laughed quietly. "Cinnamon roll pancakes?" She questioned, looking up at me.

I nodded, biting my lip. "They're really good here..." I was blushing again. God, Champ never makes me blush like this.

Nicole shook her head a bit, smiling. "Alright. I'm trusting you, Waverly Earp."

When the waitress came over to take our order, we both ordered the same thing. I pulled my phone out and saw a few texts from Wynonna.

 ** _Wyn: where are you?_**

 ** _Wyn: champ is bugging me about what I needed you for_**

 ** _Wyn: jesus, wave! seriously, where are you?_**

 ** _Seeing Wynonna say that Champ was bugging her made me panic, so I texted her back._**

 ** _Wav: You didn't tell him that you didn't actually need me, did you?_**

 ** _Wyn: of course not. but where are you?_**

 ** _Wav: I'm at the diner with a friend._**

 ** _Wyn: a friend? are you cheating on champ?_**

 ** _Wav: No! She's a new student. We just sorta hit it off and we decided to hang out._**

 ** _Wynonna took a few minutes to reply, and I started to get a bit worried. What if she told Champ? No, she wouldn't._**

 ** _Wyn: did something happen with champ? is that why you lied to him?_**

 ** _Wav: ... Not exactly._**

 ** _Wyn: what did he do?_**

 ** _Wav: He didn't do anything. I just wasn't in the mood._**

 ** _Wyn: okay... well, make sure your new friend gets you home safe. don't stay out too late, baby girl._**

 ** _Wav: I won't._**

Nicole looked at me. "Everything okay?"

I looked up, putting my phone away. "Yeah. It was just my sister checking up on me."

Nicole nodded understandingly. "Do you have to go home?"

I shook my head. "No."

Nicole smiled.

The waitress came by and served our food.

Nicole looked at her plate with wide eyes. "Wow, this is a lot bigger than I expected," she told me.

I giggled. "You don't have to eat all of it, silly!"

We started eating and Nicole seemed glad that she'd trusted me, but she ate almost half of the pancakes before stopping. I ate a little bit more than what she ate, and we decided we were done and asked for boxes and the check.

"Oh, here. We can split it," I suggested, going to take my wallet out.

"No, it's okay. I got it," Nicole insisted.

The fact that she wanted to pay the whole check made this feel like a date, and that made me very excited. I couldn't be, though. This couldn't be a date. No matter how much I wanted it to be. So I stopped her.

"No. Let me pay half. I'd feel bad letting you pay all of it," I told her.

I realized that I was holding her hand and swallowed, pulling my hand back quickly. To make the action seem less awkward, I pulled my wallet out and handed Nicole some money.

"Um... Okay, I guess," Nicole said, taking the money.

I watched her pull the rest of the money out of her wallet and even set aside some money for a tip. I watched her hands. They were so soft. Not like Champ's. Champ's hands were rough. My mind went to a very... _naughty_ place as I began to imagine what Nicole's hands would feel like on my body... _Oh, wow._ I felt all tingly... _Down there..._

 _Wow, Waverly. "Down there"... What is wrong with you?_

I crossed my legs awkwardly and did my best to push the thoughts from my brain.

Nicole looked at me. "You ready to go?" She asked sweetly.  
I nodded. "Uh, yeah," I replied.

She stood up and held her hand out to me. I looked at it, the thoughts I'd been trying to get rid of, just came flooding back. Dammit. I was doing so good. I just shook my head, and took her hand. She helped me out of the booth and then released my hand, grabbing our boxes. We walked out to Nicole's car together and then got in and just sat there for a while.

After a while, my phone started vibrating in my pocket. I jumped a bit, not expecting it.

"S-sorry," I muttered. I pulled my phone out to check the caller ID. It was Champ. I groaned and pressed "reject call".

"Did I do something wrong?" Nicole asked me.

I looked up at her, confused. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"I don't know... You've just been kinda weird since we ate."

"Oh, no. Y-you didn't do anything."

"But something is wrong."

"Kind of. Not really. I mean- I don't know. I'm just trying to figure something out."

"Do you wanna talk about it? I'm a good listener."

I smiled. "I would love to talk about it... With you... But I can't. Not right now, at least."

Nicole nodded a bit. "Okay."

She was actually respecting my wishes... Champ didn't even do that very often.

"It's getting late... M-maybe we should go home," I suggested, looking at the time.

"Do you want to?" Nicole asked.

"Not really... But my sister'll be worried if I stay out too late," I replied.

"Okay," Nicole said, flashing a smile.

We pulled out of the parking spot and I told her where the Homestead was. We sat in silence the whole way there, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was nice. When she pulled up to the Homestead, Willa was sitting in the rocking chair on the front porch. It looked like she was waiting.

"Is that your sister?" Nicole asked me.

"Uh. Yeah, one of them," I replied.

Willa glared at us from the porch. I frowned. She was mad.

"I gotta go. Thanks for the ride," I told Nicole.

She nodded. "No problem," she replied.

I got out of the car and rushed up the porch. I totally forgot my box in Nicole's car, but I didn't notice because I was so focused on getting inside before Nicole saw Willa yell at me... I didn't know if she was drunk or just pissed.

"Where have you been?" Willa demanded.

"Out," I replied.

"With who? Who was that?"

"A friend from school."

"You know damn well that you aren't allowed out this late, Waverly."

"Says who? It's not like _Daddy_ notices!" I snapped.

I immediately regretted the words as soon as they escaped my mouth, and for a good reason, too. Willa raised her hand and slapped me across the face. She grabbed my elbow roughly and pulled me close to her.

"Raise your voice at me again, and I swear, it'll be worse next time." Willa threatened quietly.

I whimpered and tried to push her away from me. "Get off!"

She squeezed my elbow harder. "What? You think because you're so smart and you're graduating early, you get to talk to me however you want? Be a little smart ass? Huh?" Willa asked roughly through gritted teeth.

"Hey! Let go of her, Willa!" Wynonna snapped, rushing down the stairs. She pushed Willa away from me and hugged me. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Willa rolled her eyes. "Jesus. When are you gonna stop protecting her, Nonna? She's not a little girl anymore."

"Does it look like I care? Touch her again and I'll kick your ass, Will."

I clung to Wynonna like a child, holding the side of my face that Willa had hit.

"You're drunk, Willa. Go to bed," Wynonna said.

Willa scoffed and walked away.

Wynonna looked at me. "You okay, baby girl?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah.. I'm just gonna go to bed. Goodnight, Wyn."

"Goodnight."

I went upstairs to my room and changed my clothes. I laid down in my bed with the lights off, but didn't fall asleep.


	2. Jealous

I closed my eyes, actually going to try to sleep, but as soon as I began to drift off, my alarm woke me up. I groaned and looked at the time. 6:30 AM. Great. I dragged myself out of bed, so tired that I couldn't even think correctly and went to take a shower, hoping that it would wake me up at least a little bit. While I was in the shower, my mind drifted to the night before... With Nicole. I smiled softly, remembering how sweet she was. How soft her hands were. I began having those... thoughts again. I closed my eyes and my head filled with images of what I imagined being with Nicole would be like. My hands slid down my stomach...

"Waverly!" Wynonna's voice came muffled through the door.

I was pulled out of my thoughts and brought back to reality.

"Yeah?!" I asked.

"Champ's here for you."

Ugh. I rolled my eyes. "I'll be out soon."

"Hurry. You know Daddy doesn't like him being here."

Daddy doesn't like anyone being here.

I finished my shower and then got out, drying myself off. I headed back into my room to get dressed and brush my hair. I caught a glimpse of my cheer uniform and groaned. I'd totally forgotten that we have practice today. The first game of the season is tomorrow night. Perfect.

I got dressed and then shoved the uniform into my bag before heading downstairs. I had Nicole stuck in my mind the whole time. Champ smiled at me as I came down the stairs and I flashed a small smile back at him.

"You look so hot, babe," Champ said.

That was his idea of a compliment. I wouldn't mind hearing "beautiful" or "gorgeous" or even just "pretty" every once in a while.

"Hey. Keep it in your pants, junior." Wynonna told Champ accusingly, pinching his arm.

Champ hissed in pain. "Ow. Bitch," he muttered.

Wynonna smirked. "Have a good day at school, baby girl," she told me.

"I will," I replied.

Wynonna kissed my forehead and then I walked outside with Champ. We got in the car and drove off. At some point, we stopped before we got to the school, because Champ wanted a "quickie" before school. I gave in and we hooked up in the back of his pick-up. When we got dressed, I looked at the time.

"Shit. We're late, Champ."

"Ah, who cares. That was amazing."

"Yeah, for you," I thought.

"What?" Champ questioned, looking hurt.

Shit... I said that out loud, didn't I? "Nothing. Sorry, I'm just.. tired. I didn't get any sleep last night."

Champ seemed unconvinced but nodded. We got back in the truck and drove to school. I walked through the hallway, my head down.

"Whoa, there, stranger. Watch where you're going," I heard Nicole joke as we almost bumped into each other again.

I looked up at her and immediately smiled. "Hey, there."

"How are you doing?" Nicole asked, beginning to walk with me.

I shrugged. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"I heard your sister yelling at you when I dropped you off last night..."

"Oh... Yeah... Willa is... mean when she drinks."

"She drinks?"

"Yeah. Daddy does too, but he goes to Shorty's for that. Willa'll drink anywhere."

Nicole nodded a bit, seeming a little worried about what I'd just told her. I looked down, kind of ashamed of my home life. Nicole looked at me.

"Hey. Wanna ditch?" She asked me.

I looked up at her. I'd never ditched before...

"Sure," I told her, smiling softly.

This girl will be the death of me.

Nicole led me out to the field. "We'll get caught here. This way," I said, leading her to a section I knew no one else went to.

Did I really wanna be somewhere alone with her? Somewhere no one else knew about? I just don't know if I trust myself around her... Especially not after this morning...

I'd almost touched myself while thinking about her...

We reached the spot and sat down. Nicole looked at my bag.

"You're a cheerleader?" She asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah. Head cheerleader, actually," I replied, smiling at her.

Nicole smiled back. "That's cool," she said.

I blushed and looked away from her. We sat in silence for a bit before we started talking again, getting to know each other.

"Where's your mom at?" Nicole asked me.

"I don't know. She left when I was four," I answered.

Nicole frowned. "That must've been pretty rough."

"Yeah... Besides Wynonna, she was the only one who treated me like I mattered."

"Wynonna is your other sister?"

"Yeah. She usually takes me to school and all that."

"How old is she?"

"Twenty-three."

"And Willa?"

"Twenty-four."

Nicole nodded a bit. She seemed to think for a bit and then looked at me again.

"What's your dad like? Besides, you know, the drinking?" She asked me.

I thought for a minute. "He's... not even really there. Well, he is... But it doesn't seem like it. He's almost always at work or at Shorty's, so we never see much of him. But he doesn't really look at me at all...He doesn't even celebrate my birthday," I told her, looking at her.

"What about Willa and Wynonna?"

"Willa... Willa's mean... She always has been, but she used to be a lot meaner. When I was little, she caught me looking through Daddy's drawers and said she wouldn't tell if I walked across one of the beams in the barn."

"That's horrible."

"Yeah... And she threw my favorite stuffed animal out onto a frozen pond. When I went out to get it, I fell through the ice. Wynonna had to pull me out."

"Wow. Let's talk about Wynonna now..." She was clearly trying to get me to talk about the good things.

I smiled. I began thinking about all the things Wynonna did for me. Everything was so genuine. She actually cared.

"Wynonna is the best sister I could've ever asked for. She does so much for me. I can't even describe how great she is."

Nicole smiled. "Well, I'm glad you have at least one person like that," she told me.

We laid back on the grass and looked up at the trees above us.

"What about your family?" I asked her.

"Oh," Nicole shrugged. "They're fine. I don't really live with them anymore."

"Why not?"

"Uh, they threw me out."

I froze and looked over at her. "What? Why?"

"Because they hate homosexuals." I think Nicole just told me that she's gay...

"And that's what you are? You're gay?"

She nodded. "Yep. Sorry if that makes you uncomfortable."

"It doesn't." In fact, I was glad to hear it. But I'd keep that to myself... For now, at least.

I hadn't realized how long we'd really been sitting there until the final bell rang. I looked at the time and stood up.

"I-I should go. I have, um, cheer practice," I told Nicole.

She stood up with me. "I can walk you?" She offered.

I smiled a bit. "Okay," I agreed.

We walked around to the open field and headed towards the locker rooms. The other girls were already getting changed into their uniforms. I looked at Nicole. I had the strongest urge to kiss her. But I bit my lip and turned away.

"Looks like this is your stop," Nicole said.

I nodded. "Yeah. You know, you can sit in the bleachers if you wanna watch the practice," I told her, trying to hint that I wanted her to come and watch.

Nicole made a face. "Why? You think that because I'm gay, I wanna watch you guys dance around in your little skirts?" She was offended.

"N-no. I didn't mean it like that..."

"Then how did you mean it?"

"I meant that I wanna hang out with you afterwards... but I don't want you to leave," I admitted.

Nicole's expression softened. "Oh," she muttered. Her cheeks turned red... oh my god, did I just make Nicole Haught blush?

"Yeah... so will you stay?" I asked her. I left out the part where I secretly wanted her to see me dance around in my little skirt...

"Yeah. Yeah, of course I'll stay."

I smiled. "Good."

I went into the locker room to change. Tiffany, who'd walked in at the same time I did, looked at me.

"You're friends with Nicole Haught?" She asked me.

I looked at her. "Yeah, why?"

She shrugged. "I've heard some things about her."

"Like what?"

"She's a lesbo," Tiffany whispered.

I've rolled my eyes a bit. "Well, yeah, I know that. She told me," I scoffed.

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Why would it?"

"Because what if she starts checking you out? What if she tries to, like, touch you or something?"

"You think Nicole is gonna try to rape me?" I can't believe she was actually saying this!

"Hey, your words. Not mine."

"But you implied it."

"But I didn't say it."

I rolled my eyes. Tiffany was so irritating sometimes.

"Look, Nicole isn't like that," I said firmly.

"How do you know?" Tiffany asked, getting undressed.

I looked at her body and froze before turning away and beginning to undress myself. "Because she isn't."

"That's not an explanation, Waverly."

"If she hasn't tried anything yet, what makes you think that she will?"

"What makes you think she won't?"

"Because she's sweet. She's a good person."

Tiffany rolled her eyes and got dressed in her uniform. She put her things inside of her locker and then left. I sighed. Being around her while we were both undressing was just so strange. I'd never noticed another girl's body until now. I cleared my throat and finished putting my uniform on.

I left the locker room and stopped when I saw Tiffany talking to Nicole. She stood close to her. Too close. Nicole spoke, and Tiffany laughed, putting her hand on Nicole's arm flirtatiously. Nicole smiled awkwardly. I found myself mad that Tiffany was touching Nicole and standing so close to her, so I walked over and smiled at them.

"Hi! I seen you've met Tiffany," I said to Nicole.

Nicole looked at me. "Oh. Uh, yeah," she said, clearly feeling weird about the situation.

"You were right, Waverly. She is sweet," Tiffany said, smiling seductively at Nicole.

I looked at Tiffany, trying to keep myself from cussing her ass out. Not too long ago, she was basically calling Nicole a rapist, but now here she was. Flirting with Nicole! Ugh, I just wanted to slap her.

"I am?" Nicole asked, looking at me.

I looked at her and smiled. "You are," I told her.

She smiled widely, looking at me with eyes that could just make me melt.

"So, Nicole. Are you gonna stay to watch us practice?" Tiffany asked.

Nicole reluctantly looked away from me. "Oh, yeah, I was, actually. Waverly and I were gonna hang out after."

"Mind if I join you?"

Yes, we do. "Not at all," I said.

Tiffany smiled. "Perfect."

We headed out to the field, Nicole following us. I walked in front of Nicole so that Tiffany couldn't, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tiffany swaying her hips more than usual as she walked.

Fucking bitch.

I rolled my eyes and kept walking. I had a feeling, though, that no matter how hard Tiffany tried, Nicole's eyes would be on me. I could just feel it. When we got to the field, I turned around and looked at Nicole.

"You can go sit over there and watch, if you want," I told her, pointing at the bleachers.

Nicole looked over at where I pointed and nodded. She looked back at me. "Okay. See you when you're done," she said. She put a hand on my shoulder and then began walking away.

"See you, Nicole!" Tiffany called.

Nicole looked back over her shoulder and flashed an awkward smile.

As we began to walk over to the area where the other cheerleaders were, I pulled Tiffany aside.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked her.

"What are really you talking about?"

"With Nicole. I know that you're flirting with her."

"So what?"

"Were you not just talking about how she might try to touch me?" I asked in a hushed voice.

Tiffany scoffed. "You're so clueless, Waverly. I was just trying to make sure you weren't going after her."

"What? I-I'm with Champ. And I'm straight."

Tiffany laughed. "Yeah... "Straight". Okay," she said, clearly being sarcastic. She added air quotes when she said "straight".

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"Nothing. Just that I've seen the way you look at other girls. The way you look at me. You're definitely not straight," she said, a smug look on her face, though she spoke quietly.

I looked around, feeling slightly ashamed of myself. I can't believe she noticed before I did...

"Anyways. Nicole will be mine," Tiffany practically vowed before walking off to the practice area.

Jesus.

What am I gonna do?


	3. The Nicest Girl In Purgatory

"Okay, so we're gonna practice the pyramid," I announced.

The girls gathered around and looked at me expectantly.

"Get in formation. C'mon," I said sweetly, waving my hands to get them to move.

They moved to their spots but one girl was missing.

"Where's Tiffany?" One of the girls asked.

The others shrugged. I looked around, looking for her. I turned towards the bleachers and saw that Nicole was missing too. _Oh, hell no._

"I'll go look for her. You guys just practice," I told them.

They nodded and I walked off to find Tiffany and Nicole. I knew they were together because it's _Tiffany._ I walked around to the back of the bleachers and saw Tiffany and Nicole under the bleachers. They were sitting and talking. I sighed, about to approach them when suddenly, Tiffany leaned forward and kissed Nicole. Nicole froze, allowing herself to be kissed.

I watched as Tiffany practically threw herself at Nicole, kissing her hard. Nicole fell back a bit and pulled away, looking at Tiffany.

"Wha-" She started to question.  
Tiffany shushed her. "It's okay. Nobody's gonna see us," she told Nicole. "Just let it happen."  
"O-okay," Nicole stuttered.

Tiffany kissed Nicole again, straddling her, sitting on her lap. Nicole kissed back this time, clearly not sure what to do. The kisses were desperate and sloppy. Tiffany seemed like she was trying hard to get Nicole to like her.

"This bitch..." I whispered to myself.

Nicole's hands hovered over Tiffany, reluctant to touch her. Tiffany pulled away from the kiss and forced Nicole's hands onto her ass. Nicole looked absolutely terrified.

"Oh, wow. O-okay," Nicole let out. She swallowed hard as Tiffany began kissing her again.

After a while, I'd had enough. I walked around to go underneath the bleachers.

"Seriously?" I snapped.

They pulled away from each other and looked at me. Tiffany got off of Nicole and fixed her skirt.

"Hey, Waverly," Tiffany said, smiling at me.  
I shook my head. "Get back out there and help them practice that fucking pyramid."

Tiffany was shocked. Honestly, I was too. Her jaw dropped and she scoffed, but listened to me. She looked back at Nicole before walking away and smiled at her, waving at her in a flirty manner. I rolled my eyes. She glared at me and then walked away.

I looked and Nicole. "Really?" I asked her.  
Nicole stood up, a panicked look on her face. "I-I didn't- she- I-" She stuttered.  
I held up my hand. "You don't have to explain yourself. You can do whatever you want." I was trying to hide the fact that I was hurt and jealous but I just couldn't.  
"Waverly, really. I didn't do anything. She told me that she just wanted to talk and get to know each other better. She made me come over here and we were talking at first. And then she just kissed me."  
"I have to get back." I turned around to leave but I felt Nicole's soft hands grab my wrist.

God, I just wanted to turn around and kiss her more than anything. I closed my eyes and did my best to control myself.

"Waverly... please don't go," Nicole spoke softly.  
"I have to. We still have practice," I replied.  
"I don't like her. Not like that."  
I turned around and looked at her. "Does it even matter?"  
Nicole looked down. "I- I guess it doesn't..."  
"Good. Now please, let me go."

Nicole sighed and released my wrist. I began to walk away.

"Are we still hanging out later?" I heard her ask behind me.  
"Sure," I responded.

I kept walking. I headed back over to the area where the girls were and they got back into formation, making room for me and Tiffany.

Once practice was over, Tiffany and I left the group, not bothering to change out of our uniforms.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked her.  
Tiffany smirked at me. "I don't know what you mean."  
"Oh, you know exactly what I mean." I stopped walking and looked at her.  
"It's not my fault you have a boyfriend. You're putting a really hot girl to waste."  
"Oh, shut up. She doesn't even like you."  
"Seems like she likes me a hell of a lot more than you."  
"How would you know?"  
"Does she kiss you like that? Grab your ass like that?"  
"You _forced_ her to do that. I'm not fucking blind, Tiffany."  
"Clearly you are."  
"Oh, fuck you."  
"Nicole will very soon."  
"Shut up."  
"Make me."

I clenched my hands into fists. I wanted to slap her so bad.

"All the guys may like you, Waverly Earp, but Nicole will be mine."  
"Not after she hears just how many guys have had you. You don't have a very good reputation, Tiff. Everyone knows you're a slut."  
"At least I'm not like Wynonna."

That was it. Before I knew it, my fist was connecting with her face.

Tiffany looked at me, surprised but angry. She grabbed me and pulled my hair, throwing me to the ground and climbing on top of me. She started slapping the shit out of me. I slapped her back but way harder. I grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her off of me before getting on top of her.

All of a sudden, arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me off of Tiffany, pulling me away.

"You're dead, Earp!" Tiffany shouted at me.  
"Come and get me, you bitch! I'll fucking-" I cursed, but the person who'd grabbed me was shushing me.  
"Shhh. Waverly, calm down. It's okay," they whispered.

It was Nicole. I relaxed into her immediately.

"You'll be just like your sister, Waverly. Opening you legs for anyone with a nice smile," Tiffany spat at me.  
"You keep your mouth shut! Wynonna is a thousand times better than you!" I yelled, getting riled up again.

I struggled against Nicole, trying desperately to get free so I could beat Tiffany's ass.

"Yeah, maybe at giving blow jobs. The guys in town tell me she swallows," Tiffany said.  
I made a face. "Oh, go fuck yourself!" I screamed at her.

I took my shoe off and threw it at her. I totally missed but I was too angry to care.

"Waverly Earp!" Coach yelled.

I stopped moving and looked over at her.

"Principal's office. Now. Both of you." She told us, looking at both me and Tiffany.

I groaned loudly.  
"But Coach!" Tiffany protested.  
"I don't wanna hear it, Tiffany. Go."

Nicole released me and I looked at her before walking off. Tiffany followed, and it took every ounce of self control I have to not turn around and beat the shit out of her right there.

When we got to the principal's office, neither of us could come up with a valid reason why we'd been fighting. Apparently "She was talking shit" isn't an acceptable answer. We were both suspended.

So there I sat. In the front office, waiting for Wynonna to come get me. This was not how I expected to spend the rest of today. Wynonna walked over and looked at me shaking her head.

"Seriously, Wave?" She asked, her arms folded over her chest.  
"Sorry..." I said.  
Wynonna sighed. "Come on."

I stood up and walked out to the truck with her.

"What happened?" Wynonna asked me.  
"Tiffany's a slut," I responded.  
Wynonna laughed. "Yeah, I think we all know that. But why did you fight with her?"  
"She- well, um. I- it-... I c-" I sighed. "She was talking about you..."  
"What was she saying?"  
"That... you're a slut... and that you give blow jobs... She said guys have told her that you swallow..."  
Wynonna let out a humorless chuckle. "Wow. So that's what Tiffany McKenna thinks of me, huh?"  
"Wynonna..."  
"No, no. If that's what she says, then it must be true, right?"  
"It's not."  
"It is. I do that stuff. Don't pretend like I don't, Waves. I know I'm a slut."  
"You're not! Stop it!"

We pulled up to the Homestead and Daddy immediately came outside, angry as hell.

"I knew we shouldn't have kept you around!" He shouted.

I frowned. What was he talking about?

"Your mother shouldn't taken you with her when she left. I don't want some brat that ain't even mine!"  
"Daddy!" Wynonna yelled.  
He looked at her.  
"Don't talk to her like that! She's your daughter!"  
He glared at Wynonna. "No, she is not."

Tears welled up in my eyes and shook my head. I turned around and started walking away.

"Waverly!" Wynonna called.

I ignored her and kept walking. She ran after me.

"Leave me alone!" I cried as she grabbed me.  
"Where are you going?" Wynonna sobbed as I pulled away and kept walking.  
"Somewhere I'm actually wanted!" I shot back.  
"No! Please, Waverly! Baby girl, don't go! He didn't mean it!"  
I spun around and looked at her. "Yes. He did. I knew I wasn't an Earp. And he just confirmed it."

I took in the sight of Wynonna. She was completely devastated. I just wanted to hug her and never let go. I felt so bad. But I had to be strong. I couldn't be in that house anymore.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry I let them treat you like that, Waves. Just- please. Please don't go."  
"I have to... I'm sorry, Wyn."

I turned around and began walking away again. I heard the sound of Wynonna crying and calling after me. But she didn't follow. She knew better. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on where I was going. I loved Wynonna to death, but I just couldn't stand Daddy and Willa. Once I'd gotten far enough from the Homestead, I pulled out my phone and opened Champ's contact.

I stopped and just stared at his number for a minute. Did I really want to call him? I mean, I knew he'd let me stay with him... But is that really what I wanted? I closed his contact and opened up Nicole's...

Nicole.

I pressed the green call button and pressed the phone to my ear. It rang.

 _"Hello?"_  
"H-hey, Nicole..."  
 _"Waverly, are you okay?"_  
"I'm fine... D-do you think you could come get me? I sorta left home..."  
 _Please say yes..._  
 _"Of course. Where are you?"_  
"A few miles away from the Homestead. You remember where it is?"  
 _"Yeah. Stay there, I'll come and get you."_  
"Okay. Thank you, Nicole."  
 _"No problem."_

We hung up and I stood there, waiting. In all honesty, I was glad I decided not to call Champ. I waited maybe half an hour, and then Nicole pulled up. She got out of the car and took my bag and backpack away from me, putting them in the truck of the car. She opened the passenger door for me and then got into the driver's side.

"What happened?" Nicole asked as she started driving.  
"I don't really wanna talk about it..." I replied.  
"That's okay. You don't have to."

I smiled softly to myself. Champ probably would've bugged me about it. I knew that I wasn't with Nicole because I didn't have anywhere to go. I could've gone to stay with Uncle Curtis and Gus, but they probably would've called Wynonna and told her where I was. So this was the best I could do.

When we got to Nicole's house, I discovered that she lives with her grandmother. Her grandmother, who was very sweet, but very old, said that it was okay if I stayed with them. We went into Nicole's room and Nicole gave me a change of clothes.

We laid down on her bed, watching TV. I felt so weird... wearing Nicole's clothes and laying in bed with her... I sighed and sat up, looking at Nicole.

"Can we do something so that we're not just sitting here awkwardly?" I asked.  
She looked at me. "Um. Okay... like what?"  
I shrugged. "I don't know..."  
Nicole nodded a bit. "Okay... We can... play Monopoly?" She suggested, making a face.  
I giggled. "Yeah, let's play Monopoly."  
"Really?"  
"Yes, silly!"

Nicole got up to grab Monopoly from her closet and then sat down as I adjusted myself so that we could set the game between us.

We sat in silence as we played, until Nicole spoke.

"Y'know... you really beat Tiffany's ass today," she told me.  
I looked up, smiling a bit. "I did, didn't I?"

I know it probably wasn't something to be proud of, but I was, in a way. Tiffany thought she was so tough, but then she gets her ass handed to her by the nicest girl is Purgatory.

"Yeah, you sure did. Not bad for the nicest girl in town," Nicole said, smiling.  
I smiled back before looking back down at the board. "You're really bad at this game," I said, laughing.  
Nicole laughed. "Yeah, well, I haven't played in years."  
I chuckled. "Wanna put it away?"  
"Yes, please."

I laughed and we began putting all the pieces and the money back before putting the board back into the box. My phone started ringing. Nicole looked at it and held it out to me.

"It's Champ," she said, a hint of sadness in her voice.  
I looked at her and then looked at the phone. "Let it ring."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. I don't feel like talking to anyone but you right now. Especially not him."  
Nicole smiled a bit. "Okay."

We put the game back in her closet and laid back down on her bed, just talking. It was so nice because I've never had this with anyone before.

In fact, I don't even think I've felt this way about anyone...


	4. Honestly, I Don't Even Know Anymore

I woke up in Nicole's room, with her arms wrapped around me and my heart sped up a bit at the feeling of her body pressed against mine. I could feel her steady breath against the back of my neck as she slept. I can't believe this is happening! Oh, crap. I should probably wake her up...

No! Stay for a little longer... This probably won't happen again.

I decided that this was true, so I should just enjoy it while I could. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep for a bit longer, but really I was paying attention to the way Nicole's body felt against me... The silent sound of her breathing, and the way her chest pressed against my back as it rose and fell with each inhale and exhale. I inhaled through my nose, taking her scent. She smelled sweet... like vanilla-dipped donuts... Which was odd, but I loved it. She held me gently, but close.

After a while, I decided to turn over carefully to face her. I looked at her face, which was so peaceful. Her soft features seemed a lot softer sleeping. My eyes scanned her face, taking in every shape and line. Her lips were so soft... Every time I looked at them, I wondered what it felt like to kiss them. My heart sped up again and I swallowed hard. I closed my eyes again and began to attempt to think of something else.

I felt Nicole shift slightly, and then her arm moved away from me quickly. I frowned from the loss of contact and opened my eyes. Nicole was watching me nervously.

"S-sorry..." She stuttered.

I shook my head. "It's fine... It was kind of nice," I replied, blushing.

Nicole was blushing as well. "Really?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah."

I scooted closer to her and rested my head on her chest. She tensed up a bit but then relaxed and put her arms around me. I could hear her heart pound in her chest.

"Champ never cuddles with me like this..." I heard myself say.

I closed my eyes, nervous to hear her reply... What the hell is wrong with me? God, I'm so stupid!

"Sounds like you need a new boyfriend," Nicole muttered.

Or a girlfriend...

"Sorry... If that was out of line..." She added when I didn't respond.

"No... It wasn't... I think you may be right..."

There was a knock on Nicole's bedroom door, followed by the doorknob turning slowly. Nicole and I quickly moved away from each other and her grandmother walked in.

"Nicole? Are you girls going to school?" She asked.

"Um. No, Gran... Waverly, um..." Nicole trailed off.

"I- I don't feel well. I think I might be getting sick. Nicole was going to stay and take care of me, if that's okay," I finished for Nicole.

Her grandmother nodded. "Oh, okay. That's fine, dear. Do you need anything?" She asked.

"No, I got it covered, Gran. Thank you, though," Nicole replied.

Her grandmother nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"She's so sweet," I told Nicole, smiling.

Nicole smiled back. "Yeah, she is."

"Does she know? A-about you?"

"I don't think so... Which is why I need to be careful. So no more cuddling unless the door is locked. I don't know if she'd understand."

I nodded in agreement. "Okay."

The whole day, we sat in Nicole's room, only leaving to eat or go to the bathroom, but even then, I didn't leave because Nicole's grandmother thought I was sick. My phone would ring periodically throughout the day, as Champ called me repeatedly. I didn't answer because I knew he was going to ask where I was.

"Are you ever gonna go back home?" Nicole asked me.

"Do you want me to leave?" I asked back.

Nicole shook her head. "No. But what if Wynonna's worried about you?"

"She is. But I don't wanna be over there if I'm not wanted."

"Well... you're wanted here."

I smiled. "Thanks, Nicole."

Nicole smiled back. "No problem."

At maybe 8pm, I got a text from one of the cheerleader's, inviting me to a party. They were celebrating the first game of the season and even though I was suspended and missed the game, they still wanted me to come.

"Hey, so... there's a party tonight. Wanna go?" I asked Nicole.

Nicole looked at me. "A party?"

I nodded. "Yeah. The cheerleaders are throwing a party to celebrate the first game of the season. Everyone is invited."

"Sure."

I smiled. "Cool."

A few hours later, we got dressed and Nicole went to check and see if her grandma was sleeping. Once it was confirmed that she was, we snuck out. We got in Nicole's car and drove to Ilene Jackson's house. The party had just reached full swing and there were already a ton of drunk kids dancing all over each other and yelling. Nicole was watching them all, wide-eyed.

"So... This is how small town kids party, huh?" She asked.

I chuckled. "Yup. Come on!" I told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the party.

We wandered around, trying to find the drinks.

"Hey, Waverly! Over here!" I heard Ilene call.

I saw her wave her hand in the air and started leading Nicole in her direction. We reached her and she smiled at us.

"You made it! And you brought the new girl... Nicole, right?" Ilene asked.

Nicole nodded. "Yeah. Nice to meet you," she replied.

Ilene nodded. "You, too."

"So where are the drinks, Ilene?" I asked, smiling.

"Oh, they're over there!" Ilene told me, pointing to the right side of the room.

I looked over and then thanked her before leading Nicole over there. I grabbed two beers and handed one to Nicole. She accepted it, but looked at me seriously.

"I'm only having one," she swore.

I laughed. "Okay," I responded.

We opened the bottles and then drank. After a few more drinks, I was pretty tipsy. I grabbed Nicole's hands and started pulling her towards the crowd of dancing teenagers.

"Come on, Nicole! Let's dance!" I squealed.

"Oh, I don't know," Nicole laughed.

"Please?" I whined, wrapped my arms around her neck.

Nicole looked at me and then gave in. "Alright, fine."

She smiled widely as I pulled her to the center of the crowd. I started jumping around and dancing, laughing the whole time. I had to stand close to Nicole because there were a lot of other people in the crowd, dancing all over each other and I didn't want anyone to touch me on accident. Nicole was smiling as she watched me have fun.

"Come on, dance!" I shouted so she could hear me over the music.

"I don't really dance, Wave," Nicole replied in my ear.

I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak, when the song changed. The song that was playing now, was a slow song. A sexy slow song. I swallowed. Shit. I looked at Nicole. She stood there awkwardly, looking around at the teens around us. They were all dancing, still, but slower. More... sexy... She looked at me, as if to ask me what I wanted to do.

I looked at her and took a step forward. I blushed as I got closer to her, my heart rate picking up. The closer we got, the harder my heart began to pound. Once we were as close as we could get, I began to move my hips, doing a dance that I hoped to God was sexy. Nicole's face turned red as she realized what I was doing. She didn't speak, just responded to my movements by returning them.

I put my arms around her shoulders and she put hers around my waist. We moved against each other seductively and I began to feel the familiar tingly feeling between my legs. We became so lost in each other that we didn't even notice the other people around us had stopped dancing and were now watching us.

"What the fuck?!" I heard Champ shout.

I stepped away from Nicole and saw Champ standing in the crowd of teens. The music stopped and everyone backed up.

"C-Champ," I said, shocked.

"You don't call me back but you're over here with her? Fuckin' dance all over her?" Champ demanded, clearly drunk.

"Look, I didn't mean anything by it, okay? I would never-" Nicole tried to tell him.

"Shut up, dyke!" Champ spat.

Nicole made a face but Champ ignored her, stepping closer to me and grabbing my arm, pulling me close to him. He squeezed my arm tightly. I tried to pull away from him.

"Let go of me," I snapped.

"No. You ignore me and then dance on this," he squeezed harder, "dyke!"

"Don't call her that!" I yelled at him, trying to push him off. "Champ, you're hurting me."

Nicole stepped up to Champ. "She said you're hurting her. Let go," she said firmly.

"Or what?" Champ challenged.

"Or you get your ass kicked by a girl," Nicole threatened.

That pissed Champ off. He pushed me away from him, causing me to fall onto the floor. Some of the kids helped me up and asked me if I was okay. I nodded and watched as Champ got in Nicole's face.

"Oh, you're gonna kick my ass?" He asked.

Nicole nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Champ cracked his knuckles. "Well, let's go then."

The kids around us started to get riled up, shouting at cheering as they made room for Nicole and Champ, who back away from each other.

"Yeah, Nicole!"

"Come on, girl!"

"Bro, you got this!

"Kick his ass, Nicole!"

Champ held up his fists and glared at Nicole.

"Nicole, come on. Please don't," I begged.

"Stay out of it, Waverly." Nicole snapped at me. She looked at Champ. "Well, then come on."

Champ swung a right hook and Nicole dodged his fist and grabbed his arm before taking him down. She pinned him to the ground, holding his arm behind his back, not once hitting him. I was impressed.

"I'm not gonna fight you," Nicole told him.

She let go of his arm and stood up. Champ jumped up after her and lunged at her. He was met with a knee to the groin. He groaned in pain and dropped down to his knees. Everyone around us groaned as well. They all started cheering for Nicole and laughing at Champ.

Nicole just shook her head and cut through the crowd, trying to leave. I followed her.

"Nicole, wait!" I called.

Nicole got into her car, unlocking the doors so I could get into the passenger seat.

"Your boyfriend is an asshole," she told me as I got into the passenger seat.

"Yeah... I know," I muttered, looking down at my hands.

"Why are you with him?" She questioned, clearly pissed off.

"I- I don't know. I liked him at the time..." I told her.

Nicole shook her head. "I don't know how you can like someone who acts like that."

She started the car and pulled out of her parking spot, beginning to drive home.

Honestly? She was right. Why am I with Champ? He's a dick. I just can't believe it took me this long to finally see it.

When we got to her house, we snuck back into her bedroom and got changed back into pajamas and laid down. I sighed.

"You were right," I told her.

"About what?" Nicole asked, looking over at me.

"About Champ," I answered.

"Oh."

"I know he's an asshole... but I just don't know what to do..."

"Do what you want to do."

"But I don't even know what that is," I muttered.

That was a lie, actually. I did know what I wanted to do. It was Nicole. But I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud. So for now, I'd just keep it to myself.

"Well, I'm not gonna tell you want to do, Waverly. I mean, it is up to you," Nicole spoke softly.

I nodded. "Yeah, I know."

That's what made it all so hard. I wanted someone to tell me what to do. I wanted Nicole to tell me to break up with Champ. But I knew that she knew it wasn't her place. I sighed, turning over to face away from Nicole, pulling the blanket up to cover me. I frowned at the fact that she was so far away.

"Nicole?" I asked quietly.

"Yes?" She replied.

"C-Can we cuddle?" I sounded like a little girl.

Nicole sighed. "Sure."

She shifted a bit in her spot before scooting closer to me. I turned over and hugged her tightly, burying my face in her neck. She wrapped her arms around me and held me, her heart pounding so hard that I could hear it.

I fell asleep almost instantly, but somehow I knew that Nicole hadn't. When I woke up the next morning, she was wide awake, sitting up. She had dark circles around her eyes.

"Hey... did you get any sleep?" I asked her, putting my hand on her shoulder.

Nicole pulled away from my touch and didn't look at me. "No, I didn't."

I frowned. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that you think you can just come in here and cuddle with me and all this other crap and expect me to wanna be just your friend," Nicole snapped.

She looked at me directly and I saw that she'd been crying.

"I never said I-" I started to protest.

Nicole shook her head. "Just go home, Waverly," she said, cutting me off.

"What?"

"Go. Home."

I scoffed. "Fine."

I got up and gathered all of my things together before leaving Nicole's bedroom, totally forgetting that I was wearing her clothes. Her grandmother looked at me.

"Oh, are you leaving?" She asked.

I nodded, flashing a sad smile. "Yeah," I told her.

I quickly wiped away the tears that I hadn't even noticed were falling down my cheeks and sniffled, trying to hide the fact I was upset. But somehow the old woman noticed.

"Oh, sweetie. Come over here," she said sweetly.

I tried to hide back my tears as I went to sit next to her, but failed miserably as soon as she wrapped her arms around me in a gentle embrace.

"What's wrong, dear?" She questioned.

"I just- I don't know what to do..." I sobbed.

"About Nicole?" She asked me.

I stopped crying and looked at her.

"How did you know?" I asked, shocked.

"Oh, please. You thought I didn't know Nicole is gay? Plus I caught you two cuddling the other night," she said with a smile.

I chuckled, wiping my tears away. "I like your granddaughter... a lot. But..."

"But?"

"But it's new... I've never felt this before... And I kind of have a boyfriend..."

"Who do you want more?"

"Honestly? I think it's Nicole..."

"So follow your heart! If you think Nicole is going to make you happy, then darling, you've gotta go for it!"

I thought for a minute. Nicole's grandma was telling me to go after Nicole... but is now really the time?

"You're right. Thank you so much, Mrs. Haught," I said.

"Call me Georgia," she told me, smiling.

I smiled back. "Thank you, Georgia."

"You're very welcome, Waverly Earp."

I stood up, my bags in hand, and went outside. I pulled out my phone and called Wynonna to tell her where I was. She came to get me and immediately jumped out of her truck to hug me.

"Oh, I missed you so much, baby girl!" Wynonna sighed as she hugged me.

I smiled. "Sorry I left."

"No, it's fine. I totally understand. Honestly, I would've done the same thing," she told me.

We got into the truck and Wynonna started driving. We drove to the Homestead and I took a deep breath before getting out of the car.

"Don't worry. They're not home," Wynonna told me.

I sighed. "Oh, good."

We went inside and Wynonna sat down with me on the couch in the front room.

"What's been up with you?" Wynonna asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked in response.

"You've been acting weird... and Champ called me," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Ugh. What did he want?"

"He told me that he saw you at a party last night. Dancing with Nicole. There something you wanna tell me?"

I looked at her, scared of what she might say if I did tell her. "I- We-we were drunk. Just having fun, that's all."

Wynonna raised an eyebrow, seemingly suspicious. "Champ thinks you're gay."

I shook my head a little too quickly. "I-I'm not. I- I mean- I-"

"Waverly, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Yeah, of course. It's just that-"

"What?"

"I just- I'm so confused... I mean, I thought everything was going great with me and Champ... until I met Nicole... she's just... so much better than him. Like- she actually listens to me... she's sweet, not always trying to get in my pants."

Not that I would mind if she was...

Wynonna listened to me. Like, actually listened to me.

"So you like Nicole?" Wynonna asked.

"Yeah.. A lot, actually," I told her.

"Well, that's new. What are you gonna do about it?"

"I don't think it's the right time to do something.. maybe break up with Champ..."

"Baby girl, it's been the time for that."

I chuckled. "Yeah, you're right."

Wynonna was right. And so was Georgia. I needed to break up with Champ and I needed to follow my heart. But when would I do these things?

I have no fucking idea.


	5. Following My Heart Pt 1

I stood outside Nicole's house, bundled up in several layers. Snow was falling around me and I was shivering. I stared at her door, nervous about what would happen when I got inside. When I saw Nicole.

I took a deep breath and stepped up to the door. I swallowed nervously and then knocked.

"One second!" Nicole's voice came through the door.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and waited. After 30 seconds, Nicole opened the door. She looked at me and crossed her arms.

"Hey, uh. Can- can I come in?" I asked her.

Nicole stared for a second before looking away and nodding. "Yeah," she answered.

I gave a nod and she stepped aside to let me in. I walked through the door and moved out of her way as she closed it behind us. She looked at me before nodding towards the hall.

"Come on," she told me, leading the way to her bedroom.

I nodded and followed her, taking a deep breath. She opened her bedroom door and I walked in. Nicole followed and then closed the door.

"What do you want?" Nicole asked.

I looked at her. "Well, I- I just-"

"Just what?"

"Just wanted to tell you something..."

"Okay. So then say it."

Nicole seemed impatient. Like she didn't wanna deal with me any longer. I stared at her for a bit before deciding to take a leap of faith and practically threw myself at her, kissing her right on her lips. Nicole was clearly taken aback by my very unexpected action, stumbling backwards into the door of her bedroom. She kissed me back, making a quiet moaning sound.

She pulled away. "Wha- Waverly-" she spoke, not entirely sure what to say I'm assuming.

I looked at her. "Do you not want me?" I asked.

"No, no, I do! It's just- what about Champ?"

"I dumped him."

"You did?"

No. "Yes."

"Okay. Are- are you sure you wanna do this?"

I nodded. "I'm sure. I like you. A lot."

Nicole smiled. "Oh, I like you too."

She leaned in and kissed me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I wrapped my arms around her neck, holding her tightly as we kissed.

"Waverly! Goddammit, Waverly! Wake up!"

I felt a pillow hit me in the face. I groaned, reluctantly opening my eyes. I was in my room, Wynonna standing over me, holding one of my pillows. I squinted at her.

"What?!" I demanded, angry not because she'd interrupted my sleep, but because she'd interrupted my dream. A dream I so desperately wanted to be real.

"Time to get up. Come on. This is your first day back after getting suspended, alright, and you can't be late, Waves. Seriously," Wynonna told me.

I sighed. "Fine," I grumbled, getting up and out of bed.

Wynonna left the room so I could get ready. I can't lie, I was pretty scared to go back. What if I got kicked off the cheer squad? Or what if I see Nicole and she's still mad at me? What if I see Tiffany and she's still trying to jump Nicole's bones? Ugh. If I saw Tiffany throw herself at Nicole again, I'd probably get expelled. I got dressed, putting on makeup and brushing my hair. I pulled my boots on and grabbed my bag before heading downstairs.

"Wynonna, have you seen my-" Willa stopped talking and looked at me.

"What?" I asked, feeling nervous.

"You're going to school in that?" She asked me.

I looked down at my dress. "Yeah... Why?"

"It's snowing."

"Oh. Right. I guess I'll go change into something warmer, then."

I turned around to go back upstairs.

"Waverly, wait," Willa said, softly.

I turned back around and looked at her. "Yeah?"

"I-... I'm sorry. For- ya know- being so mean to you."

She was actually apologizing... How am I supposed to forgive her for this, though?

Willa continued. "Now that you know that you're not Daddy's, I think I should probably say that I've never felt like you were my sister. But Nonna loves you, so I should also apologize for everything."

"Wow... So you're only apologizing because of Wynonna. Of course." I let out a humorless chuckle as tears welled up in my eyes. "To think I actually thought you felt bad for all the horrible shit you've said and done to me."

I turned around and stormed back upstairs, running into my room. I fought back the tears.

No. No! I will not cry over this. I have cried over Daddy and Willa too many times. I won't cry again.

I sniffled and took control of myself, clearing my throat. I wiped away the couple of tears that managed to escape before checking my makeup to make sure it wasn't running. I put on a few extra layers of clothes and grabbed a scarf before leaving my room again.

"You know what, Willa? I'm done. You're being completely unfair to Waverly and it needs to stop!" I heard Wynonna snap.

"Why? She's not an Earp, Nonna. She doesn't belong here!" Willa shot back.

"Yes, she does! I don't know if you remember, but Mama gave birth to her! She's still our sister, regardless of if she's Daddy's or not!"

"Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that, Nonna. She doesn't belong here."

"Then I'll take her, and we'll get an apartment together. Move out of here. Then you won't have to worry about it."

"Fine then, go."

"Fine, I will."

"Fine!"

"Fine!" Wynonna shouted last.

I swallowed hard, standing at the top of the stairs, not sure what to do. Wynonna stormed over and froze when she saw me.

She cleared her throat. "Um. Come on, baby girl. You gotta go to school," she told me.

I didn't speak, I just nodded and followed her out of the house, completely silent. We headed to her truck and got in. As soon as both of our doors were shut, Wynonna sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Wave. I had no idea that Willa felt that way..." she told me.

I shrugged. "I did," I told her.

"Well, you know what? You and I are gonna go get a place of our own. Okay? And- and we- we won't have to deal with them. Ever again. I promise," Wynonna said. And she clearly meant it.

"But how, Wyn? We don't have any money."

"I-I know... Maybe you should just go stay with Gus and Uncle Curtis... at least until I get everything figured out, ya know?"

"Wynonna-"

"I got it, Waverly. I'm gonna take care of you. I swear on Wyatt Earp's grave." Wynonna said before starting the truck and heading towards the school.

We didn't talk about it the rest of the way there, but it was definitely on my mind. Tears welled up in my eyes as I walked down the hall, toward my locker. Champ rushed over to me as soon as I passed him, not noticing my clearly depressed state.

"Hey. Hey! Waverly!" He called.

I ignored him. I put my combination in and opened my locker, only to have him push it closed. He grabbed my arm and turned me around.

"Champ, please stop. Okay? I'm not in the mood," I spoke quietly, pushing him away from me.

"What's wrong?" Champ asked, noticing the tears that were now falling down my cheeks.

"Nothing. Family stuff. Just- I need to be left alone today. I'll talk to you after school." I muttered, wiping the tears away and turning back around to open my locker again.

Champ sighed.

"This isn't about that dyke friend of yours, is it?" He snapped suddenly.

I turned around and looked at him. "Why do you have to call her that?" I shot back.

"That's what she is."

"No. She's a lesbian, and she's my friend. You don't get to talk about her like that."

"Whatever."

"I'll talk to you later, Champ. I can't even look at you right now!" I practically yelled before shoving him away.

I grabbed my books and slammed my locker door before rushing toward my first class. I ran straight into someone, knocking both of us over, and causing me to drop all of my books. I yelped in pain, and so did the other girl. I opened my eyes to see Nicole under me.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, getting off of her and helping her up.

"Ow. It's fine. Kinda funny how you keep running into me like that though," Nicole chuckled.

I chuckled. "Yeah, that is pretty funny, huh?" I responded, blushing a bit.

Nicole looked down. "Oh, let me help you-" she said, kneeling down to pick up my books. She stood up straight and looked at me again. "You've been crying..." she said softly, concern written all over her face.

I flashed a small smile. "Um. Yeah..."

"Are you okay?"

I looked down, tears filling my eyes again as they threatened to spill over. "U-um. Not- not really..." I glanced up at her, and immediately the tears started pouring out.

Nicole frowned. She put an arm around me and started walking, leading me somewhere else.

"Come on, Waves. It's okay," she told me as we walked.

She took me to the secret place where we ditched class and we sat together, though she mostly held me as I cried. Nicole didn't even ask me what was wrong. She just let me cry until I had cried so much that my head was pounding and I'd literally run out of tears.

I sniffled, wiping the tears from my face. "I'm sorry," I told her.

"It's okay." Nicole told me, rubbing my back in a soothing manner.

I shook my head. "Not for the crying."

"For what, then?"

"For when I was staying with you and your grandma."

"Oh, Waverly. I didn't mean that."

"But you were right. So I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Waves. Do you wanna talk about what's going on with you?" Nicole asked me.

I thought for a minute. Did I want to talk about it? Of course I did... but I didn't wanna unload all of my baggage onto Nicole like this.

"I'm sure you don't wanna hear about my crappy life..." I muttered, looking down.

"Hey... if you need to talk, then I'll listen. Always," Nicole promised.

I looked up at her. "Really?" I asked.

Nicole nodded. "Of course," she replied.

I sighed. There was a lot going on. Too much, in fact. Now would be a good time for me to pic and choose what I want her to know.

"There's just- there's a lot going on right now... A lot of... family issues... Personal... issues," I said timidly.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me anything you don't wanna tell me," Nicole assured.

I nodded. "Well... My dad is a drunk, and my oldest sister hates me. I never knew why, until the day I came to stay with you... Um. Turns out I'm not exactly an Earp," I muttered.

"You're... not an Earp? What do you mean?"

"I... I guess my "dad" isn't really my dad... My mom must've slept with someone else when she got pregnant with me... Anyways, Daddy doesn't want me around, and neither does Willa, so Wynonna was gonna take me and get our own place, but we don't have any money... So she's gonna call our Aunt Gus and Uncle Curtis and see if they'd let me stay with them..."

Nicole frowned. "I'm sorry... That must be difficult to deal with..."

I nodded slowly, thinking of what to say next. I can't tell her about my feelings... Well, I could, but I don't think it's a good idea...

"Yeah... And on top of all that, I'm dealing with some kind of identity crisis, or something... I don't know how I feel anymore... I just know that I think I'm gonna break up with Champ," I told her.

Her expression softened. "You are?"

"Yeah... I mean, I don't feel anything for him... And over the past week, I've been noticing that I never really did have feelings for him."

"How come you didn't notice before?"

I shrugged. "I don't know... But I mean, it was pretty obvious... Or should've been, at least. The sex was terrible!"

Nicole made a face. "Oh, God. I did not need to know that," she said, laughing.

I laughed. "Sorry," I told her.

She shook her head, smiling at me. She looked away for a minute, seemingly deep in thought. She turned back to me.

"What made you notice that you don't have feelings for him?" She asked me.

I was caught a bit off guard, but I knew she was going to ask. I would've asked.

"Uh- well, um- I- I kind of... have feelings for someone else," I said simply. "And I've never had feelings for someone like this before."

I mentally scolded myself for my choice of words, because it made it really obvious that I meant her. Or, it was obvious in my opinion, at least. Nicole made no indication that she had any idea who I meant.

"Oh," she said.

"Yeah," I replied awkwardly. "We should probably go to class now..."

"Yeah, you're right," Nicole agreed.

We stood up and I took a deep breath before hugging her. She chuckled softly and hugged me back.

"Thanks for talking to me, Nicole."

"Sure, Waverly." She pulled away and shrugged. "What are friends for?"

She turned and walked away. I stood there for a few more seconds.

"Did I just get friendzoned?" I muttered to myself.

I shook my head before heading in the same direction Nicole had gone, my books in hand. There rest of the day was pretty boring, except for the times I saw Nicole. We didn't speak, or anything. I just saw her. We would share a smile and she would turn around and I glance at her every now and then. Sometimes I would even catch her looking at me. I started to feel even more confused than I was feeling before, but I brushed it off an paid attention in class. I need to pass if I want to graduate and study ancient cultures and languages.

Focus, Waverly.

The final bell rang and I grabbed my books, taking them back to my locker before heading outside to wait for Wynonna. Champ walked over, spinning his car keys around his index finger.

"Need a ride?" He asked me.

I sighed. Might as well. "Yeah, sure. Thanks," I answered.

"No problem."

It's gonna be a problem after I break up with you...

We walked to his truck and I got into the passenger seat, Champ getting into the driver's seat. We didn't speak to each other on the ride to the Homestead, but when he pulled up and parked, I decided to speak.

"Can you come in for a bit? I need to talk to you about something," I told him.

Champ nodded and turned the engine off. We got out of the truck and headed to the house. I unlocked the front door and led Champ inside. He closed the door behind us and stepped closer to me, attempting to grab my ass. I put a hand on his chest and pushed him back.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" I exclaimed.

"I thought you wanted to-" He started.

"No! I wanted to talk, Champ." I said firmly.

"Oh. You meant talk talk?"

"Yes!"

"Sorry... What did you wanna talk about, babe?" He asked me, clearly oblivious.

I took a deep breath, gathering up the courage to say what I wanted to say.

I looked Champ right in the eye and spoke very seriously.

"Champ... I wanna break up."


	6. Following My Heart Pt 2

"I wanna break up."

Silence followed my words, an unreadable expression on Champ's face. I began feeling very nervous, because Champ was never this quiet.

"Champ?" I asked, anxious.

Champ didn't respond at first. He stepped back, cracking his knuckles before running his hands through his hair.

"You wanna break up with me?" He asked.

I took a step back, afraid of what he would do. "Yes," I answered.

"Is this about that dy- lesbian?"

I made a face and shook my head. "No. Is it really so hard to believe that I just genuinely don't have feelings for you?"

"Yeah! You weren't like this until she showed up! Ever since you met her, you've been different. You never wanna have sex anymore!"

"I NEVER WANTED TO HAVE SEX WITH YOU!" I shouted at him.

He blinked. Wow, that felt really good to get off my chest. No sense in stopping now.

"You were a terrible boyfriend. All you ever wanted to do was make out and have sex. You never listened to me when I was upset. You told everyone about our first time! Don't even get me started on the sex! Which was TERRIBLE, by the way. You think you're good? Well, guess what? YOU'RE NOT, Champ. You just pound away until you finish! What do I even get out of that? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!" I took a deep breath. "Wow. Boy, did it feel good to say all that..."

Champ stared at me. He seemed a little confused.

"I'll listen to you, if that's what you want. I'll try to be better," Champ told me.

Wow, he really doesn't get this... "No, Champ, that's-"

"I'll even go down on you if that's what you want. If it'll make the sex better." He interrupted, taking a few steps toward me.

I shook my head. "Champ, that's not-"

He cut me off by grabbing me and kissing me. I tried to push him away, but he's too big. He pulled away, still holding me to his body.

"Please, babe. I love you. Don't leave me. Not like this." He muttered, backing me into a wall and forcefully kissing me again.

The kisses were painful and desperate, and he wouldn't let me go, no matter how much I struggled. He kissed my cheek, trailing down to my neck.

"Champ, stop! Get off!" I cried, pushing against him with all my strength.

I saw the front door open, and Wynonna stepped into the house. She saw what was happening and grabbed the baseball bat we keep by the door. She rushed over and yanked on the collar of Champ's shirt as hard as she could. He felt down, onto his back. She glared at him.

"Touch my sister again and little Champ gets broken. Permanently." She threatened, holding the bat up to his face.

"Oh, come on, Wynonna!"

"Don't "oh, come on, Wynonna" me. You just tried to rape my sister!"

"What? No, I didn't!" Champ denied.

"Oh, so I didn't hear her crying for you to stop and get off of her? Consent is mandatory, asshat. You don't touch my sister without her permission. Now, you don't touch her, period." Wynonna spat at him, nudging him quite roughly with the wooden bat.

"Especially because I broke up with him," I added, looking at Wynonna.

Wynonna looked at me, eyes wide, before looking down at Champ. "She broke up with you?" She demanded.

"Yeah, but I love her!" Champ exclaimed.

"So?! That means you can try to force her to have sex with you? You son of a bitch!" Wynonna raised the bat and whacked Champ with it.

Champ yelled out in pain. He held up his hand.

"Ow! Wynonna!" He yelled.

She swung again, hitting him in a different spot.

"Wynonna! Stop!" He cried, his eyes watering.

"I'm sorry, what was that? I can't hear you over the sound of you being a piece of shit!" Wynonna shouted at him. She swung again. "Motherfucker! Now, you better get up and get the hell out of my house!"

Champ did what he was told and Wynonna chased him to the door.

"AND STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" She screamed at him as he ran to his truck.

I stared at Wynonna, wide-eyed. I couldn't believe she'd just done that. Wynonna wasn't the "confront-you-directly" type. She was more of the "get-drunk-and-fuck-someone-you-love-and-make-you-cry" type.

Wynonna turned around and looked at me. "Get your stuff, baby girl. You're going to stay with Aunt Gus and Uncle Curtis," she told me.

"Right now?" I asked.

"Yep. I was actually on my way to come get you, when I walked in here and saw Nine Seconds over there, pinning you against the wall. At first I was like "gross, get a room", but then I heard you say stop... And I saw you struggling. I- I don't know what came over me, but lemme just say that I had to use every ounce of whatever self-control I have to keep myself from going batshit on his ass. Believe me."

"Thanks for that, by the way."

"Of course, Waves. Now go pack up your clothes and stuff."

I nodded and headed upstairs. I grabbed a bag and started putting my clothes and valuables that I didn't wanna leave into it. While I was packing, my phone began to ring. I looked at the caller ID.

"Nicole..." I muttered to myself.

I answered it.

"Hey, you!" I said happily.

"Hey, Waverly. What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing. Just packing up my stuff."

"Oh, so you're really going to stay with your aunt and uncle?"

"Yeah, I guess they said it was okay. Wynonna came home to tell me."

"She didn't pick you up from school?"

"No. Champ gave me a ride."

"Oh."

"And, uh. And then I broke up with him."

"You did? How did that go?"

"Yeah, I did. Um. He kinda tried to... um. You know..."

"He what?! That son of a bitch. God, I just wanna-"

"Don't worry, Wynonna already got to him before he could do anything. She hit him with a bat..."

"Good."

"Yeah... Thanks though. That really means a lot."

"Of course. So, um. Do you wanna hang out later?"

"Yeah, I do. I'll see what I'm doing later on."

"Waverly, come on! We gotta go!" Wynonna yelled from downstairs.

"One second!" I yelled back.

"Hey, listen, I gotta go."

"Okay."

"I'll text you later, I promise."

"Okay, Waverly," Nicole giggled.

"Okay," I replied, laughing quietly.

"Bye, Waves."

"Bye, Nicole."

I hung up before gathering my things and walking downstairs. Wynonna stood, waiting with her keys. She nodded towards the front door.

"Come on," she told me. "We gotta go before Daddy and Willa get home."

I nodded. "Okay," I replied.

We walked outside, heading to Wynonna's truck. We climbed inside and Wynonna started the engine. When she started driving, I felt relief. Relief that I would finally be away from Willa and Daddy. I know that it's messed up to be glad to be away from them, since they're family... Well, Willa is, at least. But they were horrible to me. I didn't realize I was crying until I felt Wynonna grab my hand.

"It's okay, baby girl," she told me.

I reached up and touched my cheek, feeling the tears. "I know," I replied.

Wynonna squeezed my hand. "We're finally getting you out of there," she told me.

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah... We are."

We pulled up to Gus and Curtis' house. Aunt Gus was standing on the porch, smiling. I smiled widely and hopped out of the truck once it was fully parked. I ran over to her and hugged her.

"Aunt Gus!" I said excitedly.

Gus laughed. "Hi, Waverly," she replied, hugging me back.

Wynonna climbed out of the truck, carrying my things. She set them down on the porch and Gus pulled away from the hug, but kept her arm around me.

"Thanks for letting her stay, Aunt Gus." Wynonna said, clearly very thankful. She had a good reason to be.

Gus nodded. "Of course. She's family," she said. She looked at Wynonna for a bit, as if she were studying her. "You are too, Wynonna."

Wynonna nodded. "Still. Thank you," she said. She turned around to leave.

"Whoa, hey, kid. Leavin' without sayin' hello to your Uncle Curtis?" Gus asked, causing Wynonna to stop and turn back around.

Uncle Curtis walked out of the house.

"Tryin' to leave without sayin' hey, huh?" He said, smiling at Wynonna.

Wynonna chuckled. "Ah, hay is for horses," she joked

Curtis laughed and held his arms out. "Come 'ere, kid."

Wynonna walked over and hugged him tightly. He kissed the top of her head and she smiled before they separated.

"You know, yer Aunt Gus and I are always here for ya. If you need it," Curtis said.

I laughed. "You mean when she needs it," I joked.

Gus laughed. "Either way," she replied.

Wynonna nodded. "I know. Thank you. I gotta go now," she told them.

Gus nodded. "Stay safe," she said.

"I will," Wynonna promised. "Bye, Aunt Gus. Uncle Curtis." She gave them hugs and a kiss on the cheek for Uncle Curtis. She looked at me. "Walk me to my truck, would ya?"

I nodded. I followed Wynonna to the truck and she turned around to hug me. I felt like crying, but did my best to remind myself that it isn't forever. And that she would visit me.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get you out sooner, Waves," Wynonna sobbed.

Hearing her cry broke the barriers I'd built up to hold back my own tears. Everything just came flooding out.

"It's okay, Wyn. You didn't know," I told her.

"I love you, baby girl. I'll come see you whenever I can," she told me.

I sobbed into her shoulder. "I love you too, Wynonna."

Wynonna pulled away and sniffed, wiping my tears away. "Hey, no more crying. You're gonna be okay, I swear on my life. They're gonna take good care of you."

"What about you?"

"I'll move into a room above Shorty's or something. I'll be alright."

I nodded. "Okay..."

"Just... be good. Go to school, do all your homework. No more fighting."

I laughed. "No promises," I said, jokingly.

Wynonna smiled at me. "You're gonna do great," she whispered.

She kissed my forehead and then turned away and got into the truck. I stayed in that same spot until she drove away. I wiped the stray tears that managed to escape as I watched my big sister leave me, and turned back to Gus and Curtis. Curtis had picked up my bags, and Gus was waiting to show me to my new room. I followed Gus up to my room, which was in the attic (the only area they had available). It was pretty good, though. It wasn't so much an attic, as it was a very small loft. At least the window opened, and it wasn't too stuffy up there.

It already had a bed and blankets. A lot of blankets. Gus knew how cold I got at night. Especially in the colder seasons. Curtis set my things down and pointed at the dresser that was opposite my new bed.

"You can put yer clothes in there. Closet's over there," he told me, pointing to a small door. "It's not very big but it does the job."

"That's okay. My closet back at the Homestead wasn't very big either," I told him, smiling.

He smiled at me. "You're a sweet girl. Well, yer Aunt Gus'll be makin' dinner soon. Get yerself settled in."

With that, Curtis left the room, closing the door behind him. I smiled a bit, already feeling very loved in this new environment. I got up and started putting my clothes and stuff away before sitting on my new bed. I pulled out my phone and rolled my eyes when I saw a text from Champ.

CH: I'm sorry, okay? Can you forgive me?

WE: I don't think so.

CH: Please? I said I'm sorry.

WE: No. We're done, Champ. Don't text me ever again.

I sighed and deleted the conversation before blocking Champ's number. I opened my conversation with Nicole and looked at her name for a bit before deciding to text her.

WE: Hey

NH: Hey, how did the move go?

WE: Good. My aunt and uncle were really welcoming. I have my own room and everything.

NH: That's great! I'm glad to hear it went well :)

WE: Thanks :) so do you wanna come over and hang out?

NH: Are your aunt and uncle gonna be okay with that?

WE: Yeah, probably.

NH: Well, ask them before making any decisions, ok? Lol

WE: Fine lol

I stood up and walked out of my room, going downstairs. Gus was just starting dinner.

"Hey, Aunt Gus, Uncle Curtis, is it okay if my friend Nicole joins us for dinner?" I asked.

Gus shrugged. "I don't see why not. The more, the merrier, right?" She said, looking over at Curtis who also shrugged.

"I don't mind," he said.

I smiled. "Thank you, you guys are the best!" I went back upstairs and called Nicole.

"Hey, cutie," Nicole greeted when she answered.

I blushed and smiled. "Hi," I replied, biting my lip. "So, I asked."

"Yeah? What did they say?"

"They said, and I quote, 'the more, merrier'."

Nicole laughed. "Really?"

I giggled. "Yes, really. I'll send you the address."

"I can't wait."

Me either. "Cool. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

I smiled as I texted Nicole the address and then headed back downstairs so that I would be there when she arrived. I know that I was probably being a little desperate about the whole Nicole thing, but I really like her. I have a feeling she might like me too, but I'm just worried. I mean, I've never seen Nicole with anyone else, besides Tiffany. But Nicole had made a point to assure me that she didn't like Tiffany that way. I mean, I'm not crazy, right? That totally means something... doesn't it?

The doorbell rang.

I jumped up. "I got it!" I announced.

I skipped over to the front door and opened it. I smiled widely when I saw Nicole standing there in her thick jacket, shivering a bit from the cold.

"Oh, you're cold! Come inside," I told her.

Nicole walked inside and I hugged her in an attempt to warm her up. Just as we started hugging, Gus and Curtis walked over.

"Hi." Nicole greeted them, smiling her gorgeous smile.

Gus smiled back and held her hand out to Nicole. "Hello. I'm Gus," she said.

Nicole shook her hand. "Nicole. It's nice to meet you, Gus." She then shook Curtis' hand.

"I'm Curtis," he told her.

"Nicole," Nicole replied.

"You two, move outta the way so we can close the damn door! You're lettin' the snow in!" Gus told us, smiling.

I chuckled and led Nicole away from the door before shutting it. Nicole smiled at me and I smiled back before looking back at Gus.

"Is dinner ready yet?" I asked her.

Gus shook her head. "Not yet. You girls can go on upstairs and hang out for a bit, if you want," she told us. "I'll call you down when it's ready."

"Okay. Thanks, Aunt Gus," I said, smiling. I looked at Nicole. "Come on."

Nicole smiled and followed me to my room. I closed the door and went to sit down on my bed.

"You can take your jacket and shoes off, if you want," I told Nicole.

Nicole took her jacket off and hooked it up on the hooks that her on the closet door. She then took her shoes off and set them down next to the bed. I patted the spot next to me and Nicole smiled a bit, taking a seat.

"So... how are you doing?" Nicole asked me.

I shrugged. "I'm okay," I told her.

Nicole put her hand on my knee. "I'm sorry about what happened with Champ," she said quietly.

I blushed, swallowing as I looked down at her hand. "Um. It's fine. It just- ya know- made it a lot easier to just break things off with him completely."

"I understand. I mean, when someone tries to do that to you, it's just like... how can you forgive them?"

"Exactly."

I looked up at Nicole, looking into her eyes. They were light brown, and just completely mesmerizing. I didn't realize that I was staring until Nicole cleared her throat and looked away. She scooted away from me a bit and laughed nervously.

"So, what do you wanna do?" She asked me.

"Um... Maybe we can just talk? I mean, I don't really have much to do here," I told her.

She nodded. "Okay. What do you wanna talk about?"

I thought for a minute, trying to think. I decided to ask the first thing that came to mind: "What's it like to kiss a girl?"

Nicole seemed caught off guard. "Um... I- I don't know... It's- it's different for everyone, I guess. I mean, you probably wouldn't experience the same feelings I do, if you were to kiss a girl."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Um, well, because you're- you know- straight."

"How do you know that?"

"Aren't you?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

Nicole watched me as I spoke. She seemed very confused. Well, that makes two of us.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. See, I've always thought I was... I always dated guys, but now I've been noticing that I don't like guys all that much."

"You don't?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, if I didn't like Champ, and I hated having sex with him, wouldn't be the same for all guys?"

"Not necessarily. I mean, Champ was kind of a shithead... There could've been a lot of reasons why you guys didn't work out," Nicole said.

She was right. But I didn't want to date another guy. I wanted something new. Something exciting. I wanted her. Earlier today, though, she called me a "friend". I know that probably doesn't mean that she doesn't have feelings for me... But I would really like to know if she did or didn't. That would make all of this a whole lot easier. Maybe if I knew, I'd actually be able to make a damn decision.

But what if I ask, and she doesn't? It might ruin our friendship!

Dammit, that's true. God, what am I supposed to do?

I immediately began to think about what her grandmother and Wynonna had told me.

Follow your heart.

I looked at Nicole. I looked into her brown eyes, and then down at her soft, pink lips. I swallowed, and then looked back up at her eyes. My face heated up and my heart started to pound.

You got this, Waverly. Just lean in and kiss her!

I looked down at her lips one more time, before looking back up at her eyes. I instinctively licked my lips before beginning to lean in. Nicole glanced down at my lips and, realizing what I was doing, began leaning in as well.

"Girls! Dinner's ready!" Gus called from downstairs.

I blinked and moved away from Nicole. "Um. We should- um- we should go downstairs," I said, not looking at her.

"Yeah, okay," she replied.

We stood up and left the room. All I could think about as we walked down to join Gus and Curtis for dinner was the fact that Nicole and I almost kissed.


	7. Sleepover

Nicole and I sat next to each other awkwardly. I mean, we were just upstairs, about to kiss, and now we're downstairs with my aunt and uncle. Gus served our plates and we ate in silence for a few minutes, until Gus decided to speak.

"So... Nicole?" She asked.

Nicole looked up at her and smiled. "Yes," she responded.

"You go to school with Waverly?" Gus asked.

Nicole nodded. "Yeah. I'm new, actually. I met Waverly on my first day," she answered.

"That right? How did you two meet?" Curtis asked, joining in on the conversation.

I smiled a bit as I remembered the first moment I saw her. So beautiful... The most beautiful girl in the whole school, in my opinion.

"I literally ran into her," I told them, smiling.

Gus looked at me, studying my expression. "Really? Now, what on Earth were you doing running, Waverly?"

"I was mad at Champ," I answered, shrugging.

Curtis nodded slowly, chewing his food. He swallowed and then shook his head.

"Hardy James is a piece of work, isn't he?" Gus asked, shaking her head.

"He ain't showed up for work today. Little shit," Curtis muttered.

"Oh... Yeah. That might be my fault," I confessed.

Gus and Curtis looked up, eyes wide. I knew immediately that their minds went into the gutter.

"Oh, God, no! That's- that is so not what I meant!" I told them, shaking my head.

Nicole snickered next to me, and I returned it with a gentle elbow.

"So what did you mean, sweet pea?" Curtis asked.

"I meant that I broke up with him. And then he was kind of a dick about it-"

"Language, Waverly!" Gus scolded.

"Sorry..." I grumbled. "Anyways, he was a... uh... poor sport about it-"

"Well, that's putting it mildly," Nicole interjected quietly.

I rolled my eyes and looked at her. "Can I talk? Please?" I asked.

"Right. Sorry," she replied, glancing at me.

I sighed. "As I was saying. Champ was upset and started being really mean. Wynonna threatened him with a bat and chased him off," I said, finally finishing explaining what had happened.

Curtis snorted, grinning proudly. Of course he was proud of Wynonna. I smiled.

"Curtis, come on," Gus said, disapprovingly.

Curtis shrugged. "What? It's not like he didn't deserve it," he responded.

"Oh, I'm not sayin' he didn't," Gus replied.

I looked down at my food, continuing to pick out the mushrooms Gus had added. Nicole watched me.

"You don't like them?" She asked.

I looked at her. "Oh. No, not really. Do you want them?"

"Sure," Nicole said.

We smiled at each other as I began to give her the mushrooms that were on my plate. Once I'd given her all of them, we both went back to our own food. I looked up and noticed Gus and Curtis watching us. I began to get nervous.

"What?" I asked.

Gus shook her head. "Oh, nothin'," she said.

Her and Curtis shared a knowing look with each other and continued eating. The rest of dinner continued like that, with me and Nicole occasionally talking, but mostly just Gus and Curtis watching us with just a knowing look on their faces. It was like they knew that we had almost kissed or something.

Once dinner was over, and Nicole tried to leave, we saw that it had snowed a lot more since the last time we looked outside.

"Oh, Nicole, dear, why don't you just stay the night? I don't think it's a good idea to drive at night with all that snow," Gus suggested.

"Are you sure?" Nicole asked.

Gus nodded. "Absolutely. I mean, Waverly, your new bed is big enough for the both of you, right?" She asked.

I blushed. "Um- uh... y-yeah. Yeah, it is," I said.

"See? You two can just sleep up in her room. Maybe she has some clothes that could fit you," Gus said.

"I can see what I can find," I offered.

"Oh, thank you. I just have to call my grandma," Nicole replied.

I nodded as Nicole walked out of the room to get some privacy. Gus looked me, smiling a bit. Curtis had gone to bed earlier, so it was just the two of us alone in the room as Nicole called her grandmother. Gus was looking at me like she knew something. I swallowed nervously.

"Waverly, is there somethin' you wanna tell me?" Gus asked quietly.

I shook my head quickly. "I... don't think so..." I responded.

"You and your "friend" don't have nothin' goin' on between you two?"

"No," I said quickly. How did she know? "Well- I- I mean- I don't think so..."

"You don't think so?"

"We, um, had a moment... Upstairs before dinner. At least, I think it was a moment."

"Sounds to me like you two need to have a talk."

I shook my head. "No, no, definitely not." I could not talk to Nicole about this. I mean, what if she rejected me?

"Well, _why_ not?"

"Because. What if we do and the conclusion is that she doesn't like me that way?"

Gus snorted. "Oh, honey. That girl is head-over-heels for you."

She is? "Really?"

"Yes! Have you seen the way she looks at you?" Gus said, shaking her head at me like I should have known.

I couldn't help but blush at the idea of Nicole having feelings for me. I opened my mouth to reply to Gus, but closed it when Nicole came back into the room.

"Everything good?" I asked her, ending my conversation with Gus.

Nicole nodded. "Yeah. I'm all clear to, uh, spend the night." She answered, waving her phone before putting it back into her pocket.

"Cool," I replied.

I hoped she didn't notice how nervous I was. I mean, I was very nervous, especially since I'd just had that conversation with Gus.

"You okay, Waverly? You seem kinda nervous," Nicole observed, seeming slightly amused.

"Oh, yeah, no, I'm fine!" I said, shaking my head at her and laughing awkwardly. "What would I be nervous about, silly?"

Nicole shrugged. "I don't know, I just-"

I cut her off, not wanting to continue the conversation further. "Hey! Why don't we go upstairs?" I asked.

Nicole blinked. "Um... Okay?"

I thanked Gus for dinner before grabbing Nicole's hand and leading her back up the stairs, to my bedroom. As soon as we were in there, and the door was closed, I felt even more nervous. Just being alone in the same room as her was nerve-racking. Nicole took her jacket and shoes off once more, since she was now staying.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Nicole asked me.

I turned away from her, worried that if I were looking her in the eye, she would see that I was lying. "Um, yeah. I'm fine. Why?"

"Because you're acting kind of weird."

"Oops."

"Oops? Waverly, seriously?"

I turned around to face her, my confused feelings manifesting themselves as frustration and anger. "I don't know what you want me to say. Sorry I'm acting weird? There's nothing wrong, so I don't know what else to say, Nicole," I snapped.

 _Wow, I'm turning into Wynonna._

Nicole made a face at me. She looked hurt and shocked. Confused, even. I felt bad for snapping at her, but I didn't know what else to do. The look on her face made me feel so guilty.

"What's your problem? I don't understand why you're-"

I kissed her. Hard. She stumbled back, falling into the door, but still returned the kiss. I had my hands on the back of her neck as I kissed her, one of her hands gripping my wrist, the other on my back.

Despite the fact that I practically just assaulted her with my mouth, the kiss felt better than I had imagined. Not just sparks, but fireworks. Big, beautiful fireworks. My heart was pounding.

Nicole pushed me back a bit, not in a bad way, but to stop the kiss.

"Waverly, what-"

"I don't wanna be your friend, Nicole. I wanna be something more," I confessed.

Confessing that felt better than when I told Champ he was bad at sex.

"So you're saying that you like me?"

"I mean, if my borderline physical assault kiss didn't tell you that, then yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

Nicole smiled, but then frowned. "Is that why you broke up with Champ?"

I shook my head. "No. Well, I mean... Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"I mean, my feelings for you helped me realize that I didn't have feelings for him. I didn't love Champ. No matter how hard I tried... Everything came back to you." I mean, since I was confessing everything already...

Nicole smiled again. "Wow... And here I was worried that you would never have feelings for me..."

I gave a small smile. "Um- does this mean you feel the same?" I asked her. I was so hopeful, yet anxious to hear her answer. My heart was pounding a million miles per hour.

Instead of answering, Nicole pulled me in for another kiss. The kiss was less rough, and more... sweet. I smiled into the kiss before Nicole pulled away and smiled at me.

"Does that answer your question?" She asked me quietly.

I nodded and kissed her one more time, stepping backwards with my arms still wrapped around her. I turned her around and moved us toward my bed. We fell onto it and Nicole pulled away only to adjust herself so that she wasn't hanging halfway off of the bed. I was now straddling her waist and my heart was still pounding. We kissed each other lustfully, pulling at each other's clothes.

 _Oh, wow, is this really happening?_

Nicole's hands were all over me and I loved it, but I wanted to feel her hands on my skin. I pulled away and sat up, looking at Nicole. I took her hands and slipped them under my shirt.

"Are- are you sure?"Nicole asked me.

I nodded. "I'm sure," I told her.

I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it up and over my head. Nicole ran her hands over my body, and I closed my eyes. Her hands felt just how I'd imagined. I leaned down to kiss her again, when suddenly the door opened before I could move off of Nicole.

Gus peeked her head into the room and I moved to sit next to Nicole, covering myself with my shirt.

"Oh. Well. I was just comin' up here to see if you girls needed any extra blankets," Gus said.

"Uh- we- we weren't-" Nicole stuttered.

Gus stepped into the room, two thick blankets in her hands, and shook her head. "No, it's fine. I understand teenagers... Hormones raging and whatnot. Just- for Christ's sake, Waverly, put your shirt back on." She spoke as she set the blankets down. She gave us both a look before leaving the room.

I blushed madly as Gus shut the door, slipping my shirt back on reluctantly. Nicole and I looked at each other. Nicole chuckled quietly and I laughed.

"Oh, God, that was embarrassing," I said.

Nicole laughed quietly. "Maybe it was a sign that we should probably wait for all that stuff," she suggested.

I shrugged, still hot from our make out session. "Maybe... But I kinda don't wanna wait." I leaned in and kissed her.

She smiled into the kiss and then pulled away. "Oh, I can tell," she replied, biting her lip.

We looked into each other's eyes. I knew that her lust-filled gaze reflected the exact look in my own eyes. I kissed her again, pulling her closer. We laid down, not breaking the kiss. Nicole parted her lips and I slipped my tongue into her mouth. She moaned quietly, apparently enjoying the kiss as much as I was. We pulled away again and looked at each other.

"Are you as turned on as I am?" I asked. Usually I would never ask something like this, but honestly, I was too horny to care at this point.

Nicole nodded, her face a bit flushed. "Yeah, I am. But we shouldn't-"

I groaned. "I know..." I wanted desperately to pretend that I didn't know that we shouldn't because I was so sexually frustrated right now that I just wanted to, well... you know.

Nicole kissed my cheek and I felt so happy. Happier than I've been in a very long time. I used to think I was at my happiest with Champ, but since meeting Nicole, I realized that that wasn't even close to being true. I smiled at her.

"Are you tired?" Nicole asked me quietly.

I shook my head. "No. Just cold," I told her. I sat up. "If we're going to go to sleep, we should change into pajamas or something."

Nicole nodded. "Okay."

We got up and I walked over to my dresser as Nicole started to get the bed ready, adding the extra blankets Gus had left for us. I glanced back at her as I went through my clothes, trying to find something for her to wear. I smiled a bit to myself, happy that she was there.

I turned back to the dresser and found some sweatpants and an oversized hoodie for her to wear. I pulled out my usual pajamas (my nightgown and my other pair of sweatpants), and turned around to face her.

"Here." I said, holding the clothing out to her.

Nicole took them and smiled. "Thanks. Where's your bathroom?" She asked.

"Just outside the bedroom," I answered. I smiled at her as she thanked me before making her way out of the room. She closed the door behind her, and I continued to smile to myself as I got undressed.

I pulled my shirt, bra, and pants off before pulling my sweatpants on. I was about to pull the nightgown over my head, when Nicole walked back into the room. I quickly covered myself as she looked away and then went back out of the room, muttering something that sounded like "sorry".

I sighed, blushing more than I ever have the entire time I've known her. I pulled the nightgown over my head and then pulled it over my body before opening the door to tell Nicole that she could come back in.

"I didn't see anything." Nicole insisted after she walked in and closed the door behind her.

I giggled. She was so cute. "It's fine if you did... I mean, it's not like I hadn't been prepared to show you earlier anyways," I told her. Which was true. I had been prepared to take my bra off in front of her when we were getting each other all hot and bothered. "I'll be right back," I told her.

I left the room and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair and wash my face. After I'd done all of those things, I looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't expect myself to look different, but in a small, very subtle way, I kind of did. I flashed a small smile before heading back into my room.

Nicole was already under the covers when I returned and I smiled at her. Every time I saw her, my heart rate sped up. Every. Time.

I walked over to the bed and got under the covers with her. She smiled at me and I leaned in to kiss her. She kissed me back before pulling away and pecking my nose. I giggled. The peck on my nose made me feel flustered and I had butterflies in my stomach.

"Thank you for coming over," I whispered.

Nicole smiled. "Thank you for inviting me," she whispered back.

I smiled and cuddled into her side. She wrapped her arms around me and held me tightly, resting her cheek against my head. I closed my eyes and buried my face in her neck. I breathed in her smell and smiled.

 _Vanilla-dipped donuts._


	8. Feelings

It's been maybe a week since Nicole and I had our first kiss. Gus hasn't said anything about it, except to ask if we were together. To be completely honest, I don't know if we are. I mean, sure, we like to sneak off to make out during school and stuff, but we haven't had that conversation yet. I don't even know if that should even be a conversation for us to have. Like, how do things work with lesbian couples? Not that it should work any differently...

I don't know, guys, I'm new at this, okay?

My bedroom door opened and Gus stepped into my room.

"Nicole's here," Gus said.

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed, jumping up to get ready. I had woken up late, and didn't realize what time it was.

Gus sighed. "You're not ready yet?"

"Sorry, Gus, I woke up kinda late..."

"It's fine, just hurry up. Don't keep that poor girl waiting," Gus told me.

I nodded and she left the room, leaving me to get ready. I went into the bathroom to brush my hair and teeth before I got dressed, putting on my favorite high-waisted jeans, a tank top, and a white button-down shirt that had flowers on it. I tucked in the tank top and button-down before sitting down to pull my boots on. I put my hair in a high ponytail and grabbed my school bag before rushing downstairs and grabbing my jacket and scarf. I didn't bother to put makeup on because I didn't have time, so I just put my jacket on and kissed Gus and Curtis goodbye before running outside.

"Have a good day!" Gus shouted after me.

"Bye!" I called back.

I ran out to Nicole's car and got into the passenger seat.

Nicole smiled immediately. "Hey," she greeted.

I smiled at her. "Hey, you," I responded. I leaned forward and kissed her, my heart pounding, my cheeks heating up. Nicole still didn't cease to make me feel this way.

She kissed me back, and when we pulled away, my stomach made a very obnoxiously loud growling sound, causing Nicole to laugh. "You didn't eat breakfast?" She asked me.

I shook my head. "No... I didn't have time," I replied, my cheeks turning red from embarrassment.

Nicole shook her head, smiling at me. She started to drive down the street, in the opposite direction of the school.

"Nicole, we-"

"We are not going to be late. We still have time," Nicole told me.

"We better not be late," I replied disapprovingly.

"Being late is better than being hungry and cranky."

"I think the word you're looking for is _hangry_ ," I corrected her.

Nicole laughed. "My apologies. Being late is better than being _hangry_."

I giggled and she drove us to the diner in town. It was surprisingly not as busy as I thought it would be, which was the reason why I didn't want to go in the first place. Nicole and I got out of the car, and I stood in front of it, waiting for her. She locked her car and then walked over to me. We walked into the diner together, and I wanted so desperately to hold her hand but Purgatory is a small town... We'd decided that no one would know about us unless we were close to them.

Kinda funny how we had _that_ conversation but not the "are we dating" conversation...

We sat down and the waitress came over to take our order for drinks. We both got coffee, and when she left us alone to decide what we wanted to eat, I decided to bring up the whole dating topic to Nicole.

"So... Nicole," I said, stirring half and half and sugar into my coffee.

Nicole looked up. "Yeah?" She responded.

I swallowed nervously. "Um. Gus wanted to know if we're together," I told her. Which was true, but not the reason why I'd brought it up.

"Oh. Well, what did you tell her?"

I shrugged. "I told her that I don't know."

Nicole nodded slowly. "Oh, okay."

That was all she said... I blinked, not too sure why she didn't seem to wanna talk about it. I just brushed it off and took a sip of my coffee before looking at the menu.

After at very silent and somewhat awkward breakfast, Nicole and I got in the car and she started driving to the school. During the drive, I decided to bring it up again.

"Why did you seem like you didn't wanna talk about it?" I asked her.

"What do you mean?" Nicole asked.

"When I told you about Gus asking if we were together."

"Oh. It's not that I don't wanna talk about it..."

"Well then what is it?"

"I just- I don't know. I mean, I asked what you told her because I wanted to know what you were thinking about it... and when you said you didn't know, I wasn't sure what to say."

"Well, are we?"

"Are we what?"

"Together," I said, looking at her.

Nicole's hand tightened around the wheel and she shifted in her seat.

"Do you wanna be?" She asked me.

I did... But the fact that she was asking worried me a bit.

"Do you?" I asked her.

"Waverly-"

"What?"

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Well, why can't you just tell me?"

"It's-" Nicole sighed. "It's complicated."

What does she mean complicated? "What are you talking about?"

"I just- Can we talk about this later?"

"No, we can't. I wanna talk about this now."

"I don't," Nicole said, pulling up to the school.

"Nicole-"

"Waverly, please. Just-... Later. Okay?"

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Fine."

As soon as Nicole parked, I got out of the car and started walking to the school.

"Waverly, wait!" Nicole called out.

I didn't. I was mad. Well, not mad, but hurt. She'd hurt my feelings. I wanted her to say that she wants to be with me. I don't do that stupid "friends with benefits" crap. I kiss Nicole because I have feelings for her, and I want to be in a relationship with her.

I walked into the school and rushed to my locker, eager to get to class before anyone in the hallway noticed the tears that were falling down my face. I put my combination in and pulled my locker open.

When I opened my locker, I saw a teddy bear, flowers, and a red envelope with my name written on it, sitting inside. My eyes widened, the remaining tears still rolling down my cheeks. Nicole ran down the hallway, slowing down when she saw me at my locker. I was speechless. I didn't know what to think. Was it from her?

Nicole walked over and reached in, grabbing the envelope. She handed it to me. "Open it," she said.

I looked at the envelope and then up at her. "You did this?" I asked, my eyes still watering.

Nicole nodded. "Yeah," she said.

I opened the envelope and pulled the card out. I started crying again when I read what she'd written.

 _Will you be my girlfriend?_

Nicole stepped closer and reached up to wipe my tears. "Don't cry, Waves," she whispered.

I sniffled and laughed. "It's happy, don't worry," I told her. I looked up at her, smiling. "Of course I will."

Nicole smiled widely and hugged me. The kids around us stopped and stared at us, so we pulled apart and I shoved the envelope into my locker before grabbing my books. Nicole walked away to go to her own locker, and I went to class. She came to class not long after and we sat next to each other.

Throughout the school day, we would exchange looks and smiles with each other. At lunchtime, instead of sitting in the cafeteria in the school, we went to our secret place behind the school. We left class together, and walked outside. As soon as we were in an area where the other kids couldn't see us, Nicole took my hand and intertwined our fingers. I smiled warmly, my heart rate picking up as soon as her hand was touching mine.

We sat down in the grass and Nicole put her arm around me. I sighed happily and leaned my head against her shoulder.

"Nicole Haught is my girlfriend..." I said out loud. It felt so good to say.

Nicole smiled. "And Waverly Earp is mine," she said. She kissed my forehead and I smiled widely.

I moved from her shoulder and looked at her. I leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her neck. She smiled before turning to look at me. I smiled at her, my heart still pounding. I leaned in and kissed her, closing my eyes. Nicole kissed back and my hands went to the back of her neck, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss. One of her hands went to the back of my neck, and her other hand went to my waist.

We kissed for a while, before being interrupted by the sound of someone gasping loudly. We opened our eyes and pulled apart, turning towards the sound. I was absolutely terrified. Nicole and I had agreed to keep things to ourselves because we weren't sure how people in Purgatory would react. I mean, this was a small town.

I held my breath as I looked to see who it was that had just caught us. It was Tiffany.

"You little slut!" Tiffany shrieked at me.

I scoffed. I'd had enough of her shit, to be honest. "Excuse me?" I demanded. I stood up and looked at her.

"You heard me!" Tiffany spat. "I can't believe you! You get me kicked off the cheer squad and now you're out here making out with Nicole? You knew I liked her!"

"I didn't get you kicked off the cheer squad. You and your big mouth did that all on your own," I shot back.

"Nicole was gonna be mine, Waverly! And you stole her!" Tiffany screeched, tears running down her face.

I shook my head. "I didn't steal anything. Nicole isn't an object, Tiff. Besides, I told you she didn't like you."

"Bullshit, Earp. You're a slut! Just like your _sister_!"

 _Oh, no she didn't._

My hand balled up into a fist, anger flooding my entire body. I was so mad that my hands were shaking. "You shut your mouth about Wynonna," I told her.

"Or what? Huh? Ya gonna fight me again? I don't think you want to. Head cheerleader is too important, isn't it?"

"Oh, screw head cheerleader! You don't talk about my sister like that. Ever!"

"Please, Waverly! Everyone in Purgatory talks about everything Wynonna's done. Flashin' her shit all over town. Your big sis really needs to learn to keep her legs closed, Wave. She might get knocked up."

"You fu-" I lunged at her. Before I could put my hands on her, Nicole grabbed me.

"Baby! Baby, stop. It's not worth it," she said. She was right.

I calmed down, sighing. "I'm fine," I told her.

Nicole didn't let go, but loosened her arms around me. Her embrace was now gentle and not like she was trying to hold me back. She was hugging me from behind.

"Oh, look how cute." Tiffany said sarcastically, glaring at us.

Nicole rolled her eyes. "God, Tiffany, just go away. I don't like you. I never have," she spat.

"But- but, I thought- but we-"

" _We_ didn't do anything. _You_ threw yourself at me. I tried to tell you I wasn't interested but you wouldn't even let me get a word out."

Tiffany frowned. "I- I'm sorry... I-I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't mean to force me to kiss you?"

"N-no! I thought you liked me. You were so nice..."

"Yeah... I'm a nice person, Tiff. Just 'cause I'm sweet doesn't mean I wanna sleep with you," Nicole said, her tone a lot nicer now.

"But you were sweet to Waverly. Now you wanna sleep with her?" Tiffany asked, sounding hurt.

"Well, see, the thing about that is that there's a difference between flirting and just plain being nice."

The bell rang and I looked at Tiffany.

"Look, I'm sorry things didn't work out for you," I told her. In truth, though, I really wasn't. I'd won Nicole. Not that it was a competition or anything.

Tiffany rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right."

I sighed. "Come on, Nicole. Let's go," I said.

Nicole nodded and we began to walk back to go to class. When we were away from Tiffany, I looked over at Nicole.

"What if she tells people that we're together?" I asked quietly.

Nicole shrugged. "Then she tells people. I can't guarantee that things would be okay if she does, but people are gonna find out eventually."

She was right. People are going to find out eventually. I just hope they don't find out from Tiffany. "That's true."

"Hey, don't worry, baby." She kissed my temple.

I smiled, closing my eyes.

I really hope I don't have a reason to worry. But with Tiffany knowing about us? There's always a reason to worry.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry if this chapter isn't as good as all the others. I had a bit of writer's block, so that's why it took a little bit longer for me to publish this one. I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who have been reading this story and enjoying it. I'm glad it's been getting attention. I'm thinking of bringing in the supernatural aspect of the show soon, but I wanna know what you guys think.**

 **Is it too late to bring that stuff in? Or should I keep the story the way it is?**

 **Also, do you guys want me to write smut in this story? If you do, let me know in the comments.**

 **Thanks again for taking the time to read this story! I hope I can keep you guys interested. :)**

 **xoxo,**

 **LyricalDisaster.**


	9. Happy Thanksgiving Pt 1

"Have a fantastic Thanksgiving, everyone. I'll see you back here after the break."

The bell rang and everyone immediately stood up, rushing out of the classroom. Nicole and I remained seated, to avoid getting trampled. I looked over at her from across the room and smiled. She smiled back and we both stood up, ready to leave.

As we started to leave the room, the teacher stood up and cleared her throat.

"Waverly," she said.  
I looked at her. "Yes...?" I asked, somewhat confused.  
"Would you mind staying after? I have something I'd like to talk to you about," she told me.  
I looked back at Nicole, who nodded. "It's okay. I'll wait outside," she whispered.  
I smiled and winked at her. "I'll be out in a bit."

Nicole nodded and smiled, walking out of the room.

I turned back to look at the teacher. "What's up, Mrs. Williams?"  
Mrs. Williams walked around her desk and closed the door to the classroom. She walked back over to me and leaned back against her desk. "Waverly, I've noticed that your behavior at school hasn't exactly been the best," she said.  
I frowned. This is what she wanted to talk to me about? "You mean the fight I had with Tiffany?" I asked her.  
"Well, yes and no. You've been skipping some of your classes, you've missed cheer practice, games. And not to mention the things I've been hearing from some of the other students..."  
"What things?"  
"Just- I wanna make sure you're doing okay."  
"I'm fine." _I just don't wanna talk about this._  
"You're sure? There's... nothing going on with you?"  
"Nothing at all. Now, my girl- um- Nicole is waiting for me. So if you don't mind, I'm gonna go..."  
Mrs. Williams didn't seem shocked when I'd accidentally almost called Nicole my girlfriend. "You can talk to me, Waverly. If you ever need anyone to talk to. You can come to me," she told me.  
"Thanks, Mrs. Williams. I appreciate it," I told her. I turned around and walked out of the room.

Nicole was in the hallway, waiting for me. She looked up and smiled.

"Hey, you."  
"Hey," I smiled back.  
"All done?" Nicole asked.I nodded. "Yep. Let's go," I responded.

We headed out to Nicole's car and got in. Nicole started driving after we'd buckled our seat belts. I took Nicole's hand and kissed the back of it as soon as we were away from the school. Nicole smiled and chuckled quietly. I kissed her hand again and giggled before holding it in both of my hands.

"Did you ask Gus and Curtis if they were okay with me coming over?" Nicole asked.  
"Of course I did. Gus said it's okay," I answered. "What about you? Did you ask your grandma?"  
Nicole sighed. "Crap, I knew I was forgetting something," she grumbled.  
"It's okay, baby, you can call her when we get to my house."

We pulled up to Gus and Curtis' house and Nicole pulled out her cell phone. She dialed her home number and put the phone to her ear. She waited for a bit, before making a face. It seemed like the phone was ringing way too many times. Which didn't make sense because her grandmother always answered the phone. She was always home. Nicole looked at her phone and pressed "end call". She redialed the number and pressed the phone to her ear again.

"She's not answering?" I asked, watching as Nicole's expression went from confused to worried.  
"No... She always answers," Nicole told me.

She ended the call again and then redialed... again. No answer.

"I have to go check on her." Nicole said, starting the car again.  
"Yeah, of course," I told her.

She started driving, but a lot faster than I'd ever seen her drive.

"Wait, be careful! Nicole, the snow!" I exclaimed.  
"Right, sorry," Nicole replied, slowing down a bit.

We got to her grandmother's house and Nicole immediately shut the car of before jumping out and rushing to the front door. Before she'd even made it, though, she slipped on ice and fell right on her ass.

"Nicole!" I shrieked as I rushed to help her up. "Oh, God, are you okay?"  
"I'm fine," Nicole told me.  
I helped her up and she brushed herself off. "Ice _is_ a thing, ya know."  
Nicole scoffed. "Yeah, I know. I just- I forgot, okay?" She snapped at me.  
"Okay... Geez..." _Someone's a little moody..._

Nicole gave me an apologetic look before heading up to the front door. She unlocked it and went inside.

"Gran? Are you here?" She called out.  
I followed her inside as she went to her grandma's bedroom. I went into the living and gasped when I saw her grandmother, face down on the floor. "Oh, Nicole!" I cried. I rushed to Georgia's side and checked her pulse. Thank God, she still had one. I rolled her over as Nicole rushed into the room. "She's alive. I'll call an ambulance," I spoke as Nicole knelt down next to me.

I stood up and pulled out my phone, dialing 911.

The next few moments were kind of a blur. I barely remember what I'd told the operator, or Georgia waking up. All I know is that she _did_ wake up sometime before the paramedics got there, and then the paramedics came and took her. Nicole and I are now sitting in the waiting room, waiting to hear something from the doctors.

I looked around the shockingly sterile room, seeing a few other people in here. I knew that hospitals were clean, but I didn't know they were _this_ clean. I sighed, moving my hand to rub Nicole's back. I rested my head on her shoulder, rubbing her back in an attempt to make her feel better.

"Hey... It's okay," I told her.  
Nicole leaned against me, sighing. "I hope so."  
I lifted my head a bit and kissed her cheek. "I bet she's perfectly fine, baby. Don't worry," I told her.  
Nicole looked at me and smiled. "Thanks, Waves. You're sweet," she told me.

The doctor walked over and Nicole and I immediately stood up, looking at him.

"What's going on? Is she okay?" Nicole asked.  
The doctor sighed. "Your grandmother is very sick," he said.  
"Sick? W-what do you mean sick?"  
"It seems your grandmother has a very advanced and inoperable brain tumor."  
"What? And why is it just being found now?" Nicole snapped.  
"Nicole..." I muttered, putting a hand on her shoulder. She sighed.  
"Well, Miss Haught, these types of tumors are usually undetectable until it's too late. I'm very sorry."

Nicole took a deep breath as her eyes began to water. I frowned.

"Are there any treatment options?" I asked the doctor as Nicole closed her eyes, trying to keep herself from breaking down.  
The doctor shrugged. "There is radiation treatments, chemo. But by this point, we're not sure any treatments would really help. We did offer to try anyways, but she refused. She just wants to see her granddaughter."  
I looked at Nicole, who sniffed and opened her eyes. "Baby, he said that she wants to see you," I told her.  
"Can Waverly come?" Nicole asked the doctor.  
"Is she family?"  
"Yes," Nicole answered without hesitation.  
"I guess there's no problem. As long as she doesn't get worked up."  
"Of course," I said.

The doctor led us to Georgia's room and allowed us inside whenever we got there. I stood by the door while Nicole walked over to the bed and sat down in the chair next to it. I watched as Nicole grabbed her grandmother's hand and held it as they spoke to each other. I looked at the doctor.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked him.

He gave a nod and we walked out of the room. Right outside the door, I sighed as I glanced into the room. Nicole was crying and Georgia was telling her something.

I swallowed, fighting back tears of my own. I looked up at the doctor. "Um. How long does she have?" I asked quietly.  
"It's hard to tell, but not very long."  
I couldn't tell if this was hard for him or just business as usual. "You don't have a number? Days, weeks, months? Years?"  
"Without treatment, it could be a few months, give or take."  
"Did she say why she refused treatment?"

He shook his head. I opened my mouth to speak, but I was interrupted by the sound of Nicole saying my name. I turned and saw her looking in our direction.

"One second. I'll be right there, baby," I told her. I turned back to the doctor. "Thanksgiving is coming up. How are they supposed to celebrate?"  
The doctor shrugged. "I'm very sorry, miss. I just don't know."  
I sighed. "Okay... Thank you."  
He gave a nod. "Of course."

He turned and walked away and I turned to walk back into Georgia's room. I offered a smile as I walked over to Nicole. I put my hands on her shoulders and leaned down, kissing her cheek. She reached over and took hold of one of my hands. Georgia smiled warmly at us, still full of life, even though she seemed to be so close to death.

"You girls are beautiful together," Georgia told us.  
Nicole smiled. "Thank you, Gran," she replied quietly.  
"How are you feeling?" I asked.  
Georgia shrugged. "I've felt better. I'm just glad I get to see you two."  
"Gran, I'm sure everything is fine. You're gonna be okay... You just have to do what the doctors say... You know, the treatments," Nicole said.  
Georgia reached over and put her hand on Nicole's. "Sweetie... You know they won't work."  
Nicole shook her head. "No, Gran. Don't say that. They will, they have to."  
"Nicole. You're a smart girl. You know it's time."  
"Oh, Gran, please-"  
"Baby, it's okay..." I muttered, giving her shoulder a squeeze.  
Nicole looked over at me, shaking her head. "I- I can't..." She stood up and walked out of the room.  
"Nicole-"  
"Let her go, dear. She needs time."

I sighed. I ran a hand through my hair before sitting down in the seat Nicole had been sitting in.

"She's going to need you, Waverly. You're going to have to comfort her when I go." Georgia told me, reaching out.  
I took her hand in both of mine and frowned. "I will. I promise."  
"Did the doctor tell you how long I have?"  
I nodded. I didn't speak. I was afraid that if I did, no words would come out. Just... sobs. I didn't want to break down. Not yet.  
"I tried to tell Nicole. She didn't want to listen. Will you tell her?"  
"Georgia, I don't-"  
"Please. You might be the only one she'll listen to."  
I sighed. "Okay. I'll tell her."  
"And make sure she doesn't stay here all the time. Get her out of the hospital every once in a while. Don't let her spend all of her time here. And don't let her sleep here."  
I nodded. "Okay."

After a while, the nurse came in to tell me that Georgia needed to rest, so I had to leave. I stood up and said goodbye before leaving. I walked around, looking for Nicole. I didn't find her until I went outside. She was sitting down on one of the benches outside the hospital, crying. I walked over and sat down next to her. I put my arms around her and hugged her. She buried her face in my shoulder and sobbed. I fought back tears of my own. Nicole needed someone strong right now. I couldn't be sad.

"Hey... It's okay, baby. It's okay..." I whispered.  
Nicole pulled away and looked at me. "It's not okay! She's going to let herself die."  
I wiped her tears away with my thumbs and looked at her. It took everything I had to stop myself from breaking down. "I know... But you have to understand that the treatments would've been useless. Nicole, the doctor said it himself."  
Nicole pushed my hands away. "How can you say that?"  
"The doctor said that she doesn't much longer to live. Maybe a couple of months..."  
"What?"  
"Nicole-"  
"No, stop. Why are you telling me this?"  
I sighed. Tears welled up in my eyes as I saw the hurt on Nicole's face. "I promised her. She needs you to understand. Baby, she's okay."  
"If by "okay", you mean "dying", then yes, she is. Waverly, she's going to die."  
"I know."  
"So then how can you sit here and say that it's okay for her to refuse to let them help her?"  
"Because they wouldn't be helping her. Nicole, she's going to die anyways. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but you know the treatments won't help." The tears fell down my cheeks. I didn't like saying these words to her, but it's what Nicole needed to hear.

Nicole sighed, turning away. New tears made their way from her eyes. She looked down, seeming deep in thought.

"You're right..." Nicole spoke quietly.  
"I'm sorry," I told her.  
She looked up at me. "Don't be... It just- It hurts."  
"I know it does. But I'm here for you."  
"Thank you."

A few days later, Nicole has been in and out of the hospital, visiting Georgia. I did what I promised and made sure she got out of there enough to where she wasn't spending 24/7 next to her grandmother's hospital bed. But I couldn't bring myself to make her leave on Thanksgiving Day. Gus and Curtis invited Nicole over for dinner, but we weren't sure if she would come. She wanted to spend the day with her gran, and I couldn't argue with that, so I let her.

While Gus was cooking our entire Thanksgiving dinner, with the very surprising help of Wynonna, I spent a few hours with Nicole and Georgia. When the time came for me to get home, Georgia made Nicole come with me.

"Nicole, you better go and enjoy your Thanksgiving somewhere that is not in this damn hospital." Georgia said sternly, giving Nicole a hard look.  
"But Gran-"  
"But nothing! You will not spend your holiday here."  
"I can't just leave you..."  
"You can, and you will. I'll be fine, Nicole. I've been tired all day anyways. Don't worry about me."  
"Alright. Get some rest."  
"I will, dear."

Nicole gave Georgia a kiss goodbye before we left the hospital. When we got to my house, we walked in the front door and I froze immediately. Willa and Daddy were sitting on the couch. Daddy turned and looked at us.

"Who the hell are you?" He demanded, looking right at Nicole.

Guess it's an Earp Thanksgiving after all...


	10. Happy Thanksgiving Pt 2

"Who the hell are you?" Daddy demanded, standing up and looking at Nicole.

Well... I wouldn't call it _looking_. It was more of a glare.

"Um- I- I'm-" Nicole stammered.

It was clear that she was at a loss for words. But I mean, honestly, so was I.

"That's Nicole," Wynonna said. She walked over and handed Daddy a beer. "Waverly's friend."  
"Friend? Well, why is she here? This is a family holiday," Daddy spat. He took the beer from Wynonna and took an angry swig.  
"Uh- My grandmother is in the hospital... Gus said it was okay if I joined you guys for dinner," Nicole spoke sheepishly.  
"That's right," Gus interjected. "And she's just as much welcome as you and Willa so sit your ass down, Ward."

She gave him a hard look from the kitchen and he sighed before sitting down and grumbling something none of us could make out. I rolled my eyes and walked over to Wynonna.

"Can I talk to you, please?" I asked her, my voice just above a whisper.  
Wynonna nodded. "Yeah, of course."

I pulled her to the stairs, leading her up to my bedroom. I made sure to grab Nicole and pull her along with us because I did _not_ want to leave her alone with Willa and Daddy. Once we were all in my room, I closed the door and looked at Wynonna, my arms crossed.

"Why are they here?" I demanded as Nicole took a seat on my bed.  
"Gus made me invite them," Wynonna said. She glanced at Nicole before looking back at me.  
"Why?" I asked, making a face. Since when did Gus like Daddy?  
Wynonna shrugged. "I dunno. To be nice, I guess? I mean, their definition of "Thanksgiving" is a bottle of whiskey and some stuffing."  
I nodded a bit, shrugging. "True," I muttered. "Hey, thanks for not telling Daddy about... you know."  
Wynonna scoffed. "Obviously. Like I'd tell him that you're gay when he's already pissed about us moving out. Which doesn't even make sense."  
I rolled my eyes. "Of course he is."  
Wynonna looked at Nicole, her expression sympathetic. "Sorry about your grandma, Haught."  
Nicole gave a small smile. "Thanks, Earp."

I smiled. Nicole and Wynonna hadn't spent a lot of time together, but they were okay with each other so far. I mean, Wyn doesn't have any problems with her like she did with Champ. I just wish they would be kinda like friends, I guess?

Wynonna gave a short nod before clearing her throat. "Uhhh. Well, I should get back down there. Ya know, help Gus... And keep Daddy and Willa away from the liquor cabinet. You guys can, ya know, stay up here for a bit." She opened the door and started to back out of the room. "Just- Try to keep it down," she whispered with a wink.  
I rolled my eyes, stepping forward to push the door closed. "Just get out, please. Thank you!" I said, smiling. When the door was shut, I turned around and looked at Nicole, who was blushing.  
"Is she always like that?" Nicole asked, chuckling.  
I nodded. "Yeah, pretty much." I walked over to the bed and sat down next to her. "Take your jacket off, silly." I told her, giggling.

Nicole chuckled and took her jacket off. She stood up and hung it up before walking back over to the bed and sat back down next to me. She sighed and I frowned. I knew that she was sad.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
Nicole shrugged. "I- I just... I wish I could be with my grandma, you know? I mean, not that I'm not glad to be here with you and your family..."  
"No, it's okay. I understand. Hey, we can bring her a plate of food later. If you want?" I suggested, rubbing her back.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that."  
I smiled at her. "Good. Then we'll go after dinner," I promised.  
"Thank you. You're sweet, you know that?" Nicole said, smiling at me.

I smiled, blushing. Nicole had a thing for making me blush. I leaned forward and kissed her cheek. She leaned against me before turning her head and kissing my lips. I cupped her face with my hands, deepening the kiss. Nicole's hands moved down to my waist. I parted my lips and pulled her closer. I felt Nicole's tongue slip into my mouth just barely and I opened my mouth a bit more. Pretty soon, we were making out pretty heavily. I straddled her waist and continued to kiss her. I felt her hands slide down lower, to my butt. She grabbed me, pulling my hips against her and I couldn't help but moan into the kiss.

 _God, I just want her to touch me._

I pulled away from the kiss. "Nicole..." I whined.  
Nicole's face was flushed as she looked up at me. "Yes, baby?"  
My fingers were all tangled up in her hair. "I want you so bad right now," I whispered.

I pulled her into a desperate, lustful kiss. She moaned against my mouth and I swear it was probably the most amazing thing I have ever heard. She pulled away before pulling me against her again. I whimpered this time, the friction driving me insane.

"Oh, my god," I breathed.

I kissed Nicole hard and she laid back on the bed, not breaking the kiss. She rolled us over so that she was on top and I wrapped my legs around her waist. Nicole's ran her hands up my sides and I squirmed under her touch. Nicole pulled away and kissed my cheek. I turned my head to the side and she trailed kisses from my cheek to my neck. My breathing picked up and my heart was pounding. I felt Nicole start to push my shirt up and I bit my lip. I looked at her and watched as she moved down lower and kissed my stomach.

I leaned my head back, closing my eyes. Her lips were so soft and I had been dying to feel her kiss my body. Now I just hope we don't get caught...

"What the-"

Nicole got off of me and I sat up, pulling my shirt back down, looking towards the door. Willa stood there, staring at us. I swallowed nervously, scared of what she'd do.

"Willa-" I started.  
"Gus wants you downstairs," Willa said flatly. She turned around, leaving the room. She closed the door behind her and I covered my mouth.  
"Oh, my god..." I muttered.  
"You don't think she's gonna tell your dad, do you?" Nicole asked.  
I looked at her. "I don't know. I didn't even hear the door open... Did you?"  
"No."  
I sighed, covering my face. I closed my eyes, trying to keep myself from crying. "Oh, god, what if she tells him?"  
Nicole hugged me. "I'm sorry..."  
I sighed and uncovered my face, looking at her. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault, okay?"  
Nicole nodded. "Okay," she said quietly.  
"I should go down there now."  
"Yeah, okay."

I got up and Nicole followed me. We headed downstairs, walking into the living room area. I caught a glimpse of Willa staring at me, but I chose to ignore it. I walked into the kitchen, where Gus and Wynonna were still cooking.

"Finally. Get over here, Waverly. Here. Cut these potatoes up for me, would ya?" Gus asked, putting some washed and peeled potatoes on a cutting board. She set a knife down and waved me over.  
I nodded, walking to the sink to wash my hands. "Yeah," I told her.

I picked up the knife and started slicing the potatoes. I kept the pieces not big but not small. As I was cutting, Wynonna walked over and stood next to me.

"So?" Wynonna asked me, quietly.  
"What?" I asked in response, though I knew full well what she was asking.  
"Did you have some fun?" She asked with a smirk and a wink, her voice a whisper.  
I rolled my eyes. "We tried," I told her, muttering under my breath.  
"Tried?" Wynonna asked, making a face. "You don't _try,_ Waverly. You do. And I do mean _do_."  
"Yeah, okay, well, someone walked in on us." I told her, still whispering. I didn't want to talk too loudly, because I didn't want Willa or Daddy to hear us.  
"What? Who?" Wynonna asked before taking a sip of her beer.  
"Willa," I answered.

Wynonna started coughing, the beer she'd been trying to swallow coming out with it.

"Jesus, Wynonna!" Gus exclaimed.  
"Sorry-" Wynonna apologized between coughs. She coughed a final time and then cleared her throat, looking at me. "She caught you?" She whispered.  
I nodded. "Yeah. I'm scared that she's gonna tell Daddy," I whispered back.  
Wynonna sighed. "Knowing her, she might."  
Gus walked over to grab the cutting board from me. "What are you girls talking about?"  
"Nothing," Wynonna and I told her in unison.

As Gus took the cutting board to the stove to put the potatoes in the pot of water, Wynonna and I left the kitchen. We went to sit down in the living room. Wynonna sat down next to Nicole and I sat down next to Wynonna. We sat silently, watching TV. I couldn't help but glance over in Willa and Daddy's direction. Willa was staring right at Nicole. I couldn't tell if it was angry or not. I swallowed and cleared my throat. I turned away and looked at the TV.

After a couple more hours, Gus was finished cooking and had me set the dining room table. While I was setting the plates in their spots, Willa walked into the dining room. She stood in the doorway, leaning against the door frame. I tried to hide the fact that I was nervous, continuing to set the table silently.

"Waverly," Willa said.  
I glanced up at her before continuing to set the table.  
"What did I walk in on when I went in your room?" Willa asked.  
"What did it look like?" I asked in response, not looking at her.  
"Don't be a smart ass," Willa snapped.  
I sighed, setting the last set of silverware down and looking up at her. "What do you want, Willa?"  
"Nothing."  
"So why are you here? Talking to me about this?"  
"Why were you in your room, getting hot and heavy with a girl?"  
"It's called knocking, you should try it sometime."  
Willa walked closer, cornering me. "What did I tell you about being a smart ass?"  
"I don't have to listen to you."  
Willa grabbed my arm roughly. "The hell you don't."  
"Get off," I told her.  
"Apologize for being a little shit." Willa snapped, pulling on my arm.  
"Willa-"

Willa's grip tightened and I whimpered at the pain and tried to get her away. I flinched as Willa raised her hand, about to hit me, when suddenly, she stopped. Willa grunted and then was pulled away from me. I opened my eyes and saw her face-to-face with Nicole, and they were glaring at each other.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Willa asked.  
"I think you already know," Nicole responded. She leaned towards Willa, glaring at her. "Touch her again and I'll break your hand," she threatened quietly.  
Willa pulled her arm out of Nicole's grip and stepped forward. Before she could actually do anything, Wynonna rushed in and slipped in between her and Nicole. "Come on, guys. It's Thanksgiving. Let's not do this," she said firmly.

Nicole stepped back and waited for me to follow her away from Willa. Gus and Curtis walked in with the food, setting it down in the center of the table.

"Hey, why are y'all just standin' around? Wynonna, Willa, go get the rest of the food," Gus commanded.  
"On it," Wynonna said. She looked at Willa. "Come on." She said, glaring at Willa hardcore.

Willa followed Wynonna out of the room as Curtis told Nicole and me to sit down. Daddy came in with the drinks and set them down on the table. When Willa and Wyn came in with the rest of the food, we all sat down. Now, the Earps aren't exactly religious, but we still pray on Thanksgiving.

When it actually came time to eat, of course, we all made small talk with each other. It was actually a pretty nice dinner. Until Willa spoke.

"So, Aunt Gus, did you and Uncle Curtis know that Waverly is gay?" Willa asked.

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, I froze. Gus and Curtis looked at Willa, Wynonna looked at Nicole, and Daddy looked right at me. Nicole coughed, almost choking on her food.

"Waverly Earp, what is she talking about?" Daddy asked, still looking at me.  
I shrugged. "I don't know." I answered, looking down at my plate.  
"Oh, sure you do. I saw you upstairs with your "friend" right there," Willa said, gesturing to Nicole.  
"Willa-" Gus started.  
Willa looked at her. "What? I'm just making conversation," she said with a shrug.  
"But do we have to talk about this?" I asked, looking up at her.  
"So you are," Daddy said. "A gay."  
I looked at him. "I didn't say that."  
"Can we just please have a nice dinner?" Wynonna asked.  
"I'd like to know more about what your sister was talking about," Daddy said.  
"Daddy-" Wynonna started.  
"Shut up, Wynonna." Daddy snapped, looking at her.

Wynonna looked at me and gave me an apologetic look. I sighed and shook my head.

"I'm not talking about this." I said firmly, looking at both Willa and Daddy. "Now, can we please finish our Thanksgiving on a positive note?"  
"Sure, whatever you say, Waverly." Willa said, still looking at me.

I looked at her but then looked away, returning to eat my food. A few silent moments went by before Willa spoke again.

"So are you two dating?" Willa asked. "Is Nicole your girlfriend?"  
"Willa-" Wynonna started to snap.  
I shook my head. "No, it's okay, Wynonna," I interrupted her. I looked up at Willa. "Yes. Nicole is my girlfriend." I ignored the look on Daddy's face as he stood up and stormed out.  
Willa was smirking. "You made Daddy mad," she said.  
"Why don't you mind your own business?" Nicole snapped.  
Willa opened her mouth to speak, but Gus slammed her hand on the table. We all froze and looked at her. "Goddamn it, I just wanted to have a nice family Thanksgiving for once." She said, clearly done with all of us. "Willa, if you don't leave your sister alone, you can follow your father's lead and get the hell out of my house."  
Willa looked at her and blinked. "I think I will." She stood up. "Thank you for having us."

And with that, she left. I sighed when I heard the front door slam shut. Outside, the faint sound of Daddy yelling could be heard. I tried my best to block it out and went to finish my dinner.

"Waverly," Gus sighed.  
I looked up. "Yeah?"  
"I'm sorry."  
"It's okay-"  
"No, it's not. I had Wynonna extend an invitation to them because I knew they would just be sittin' at that damn house drinkin' whiskey. I wanted to try to be civil with them, ya know?"  
"I get it, Gus. It's okay really. You had no idea Willa would do that," I told her.  
Wynonna scoffed. "None of us knew she'd do that."

The rest of dinner was quiet, but nice. Nicer than when Daddy and Willa were here. When we were all finished, Wynonna left and Gus made a plate for Nicole and me to take to her grandma. We got into Nicole's car and headed to the hospital. I sat in the passenger seat with the covered plate in my lap. I looked over at Nicole, who was very focused on the road.

"I'm sorry about Willa," I said. I felt like I needed to apologize for what had happened.  
Nicole glanced at me, before looking back at the road. "Waverly, really, it's fine."  
"Promise?"  
"Yes. I promise."  
"It's just that- I mean- we were having, like, a moment, ya know? And I just feel bad that she interrupted us..."  
"That was pretty irritating..."  
"Oh, believe me, I know."  
"Did you really want to?"  
I looked at Nicole, surprised that she was even asking that. "Of course I did," I told her. "Actually to be completely honest with you, Nicole, I'm really sick of waiting."  
Nicole looked at me for a second. "You are?"  
I nodded. "Yes."

Nicole didn't respond because we pulled up to the hospital and parked. We silently got out of the car and headed inside. We walked through the hospital until we got to Georgia's room. I handed the plate to Nicole and followed her inside the room.

Georgia smiled at Nicole. "What's that you got there?" She asked.  
"Food from Waverly's aunt Gus." Nicole answered, sitting next to the bed.  
"Oh, thank you, girls!" Georgia said, smiling as she looked over at me.  
"You're very welcome," I told her.

The rest of our night was spent with Georgia, helping her eat her dinner and talking to her about how she was feeling. At around midnight, the nurses told us that we needed to leave for the night so that Georgia could rest. We listened and Nicole and I went back to my house. When we were in my bedroom, we laid down in the bed, too tired to stay up any longer. I cuddled up into Nicole's side and just hugged her as tightly as I could without squeezing her too hard.

"Are you okay?" I asked her quietly.  
"Yeah, baby. I'm fine," Nicole replied.  
"You sure?" I asked, moving to look at her.  
Nicole looked at me and smiled softly. "I'm sure," she told.  
I smiled back at her. "Okay." I leaned forward, closing my eyes and kissing her gently.

Nicole kissed back and for a second we just laid there, kissing. Not moving, but just holding that soft kiss. We pulled away and looked into each other's eyes. Looking into her eyes, it seemed like everything around stopped. Like we were the only ones in the whole world.

I am absolutely and undeniably in love with this girl.


	11. Ease My Mind

"Nicole, come on. Let's go," I urged.

Nicole sighed heavily, a somber expression on her face. She stood up and walked over to follow me out of the room. I stopped her and took her face in my hands.

"Hey. It's okay, baby," I promised her.  
She shook her head. "No, it's not. She's gone, Waves. The only family I had left after what happened with my parents," she told me.  
I frowned. "I know, sweetie, but she wouldn't want you to be sad. I promised her that I would comfort you and make sure you were okay, and that's what I'm trying to do."  
"I know, baby, but I don't think I can go out."  
"We can stay here then, if you want. I just thought you'd wanna take a break from everything. Clear your head."  
Nicole's eyes scanned my face and a small smile spread across her lips. "I'd rather take that break with you."  
I took a moment to process what she'd said and smiled a bit. "Yeah?"  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah. Just the two of us."  
I smiled widely. "I'd love that."

Nicole stepped closer to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and pulling me into her. I wrapped my arms around her neck and she kissed me passionately. I kissed her back, holding her close. I started to move us over to the bed and Nicole pulled away from the kiss only to sit down and pull me onto her lap.

Nicole did the same thing she'd done the last time we were in this position. She pulled my hips against her, creating friction that I'm pretty sure made me soaking wet. We were kissing passionately as Nicole proceeded to drive me crazy. By this point, I was beyond horny and my heart was racing. I pulled away from the kiss and looked at Nicole.

"Are we actually gonna do it this time?" I asked, breathing heavily.  
"If you want to." Nicole whispered, moving to kiss my neck.  
I bit my lip, reacting to the feeling of her kisses. "Of course I want to," I breathed. "I just- I don't want you to feel like you have to. You're going through a lot right now..."  
Nicole shook her head. "I don't feel like I have to. Trust me, baby, I'm okay. I want to."

I felt Nicole graze her teeth against my neck and I gasped. Nicole's hands were all over my body, pushing up my shirt. I was completely lost in the feeling of her mouth and hands.

"Oh, wait-" I said suddenly.  
Nicole stopped and looked at me, confused. "What? What is it?"  
I got up off of her and walked over to my door. I opened it to check and see if anyone was around, before closing it and turning the lock. "I figured we should lock the door this time," I explained.

I walked back over to her and Nicole scooted towards the edge of the bed. I stood in front of her, between her legs, and leaned down to kiss her. The kisses were passionate and full of lust. Nicole pulled away and started to push my shirt up. My breath hitched as soon as I felt her hand caress my stomach. Nicole continued to push my shirt up, kissing every inch of newly revealed skin. I raised my arms and she stood up to pull my shirt over my head before tossing it onto the floor.

I started to pull on Nicole's shirt, lifting it up. Nicole kissed me but pulled back as soon as she felt my fingers gently brush her soft skin.

"Wait-" she said suddenly.  
I stopped and looked at her, confused.  
"You're sure, right? You wanna do this?" Nicole asked.  
"Of course I wanna do this. I've been waiting for this moment since the first time we kissed." That wasn't true. I'd been waiting for this moment ever since I met her, if I was being completely honest with myself.  
"Me too," she told me, smiling.  
I smiled back. "Kiss me," I whispered.

And she did. She kissed me with so much love and desire, I didn't even know it was possible. But I loved every moment of it. After kissing for a few minutes, I pulled Nicole's shirt off and looked at her body for a bit. I turned us around, so that I was now closest to the bed and laid down, gesturing for her to follow. Nicole climbed onto the bed with me, straddling my left leg, so that her right thigh was between my legs. She leaned down and kissed me softly before pulling away and looking at me.

I thought she was going to say something, but instead she just leaned back down and kissed my cheek. I smiled a bit. She was so sweet with me. I turned my head and smiled at her, running my fingers through her red hair. Nicole smiled back at me, the most loving look in her eyes.

"Champ never looked at me like that..." I heard myself say. I swallowed nervously, my smile fading. _Wow, Waverly, way to go. Bring up your ex..._  
"He didn't deserve you," Nicole told me. She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the tip pf my nose.  
I let out an airy chuckle. "I'm glad I met you."  
"Me too, baby."

We kissed again, my hands moving from Nicole's hair, down her sides. Her tongue slipped into my mouth as my hands reached her waist. I unbuttoned her jeans and pulled down the zipper before slipping my hands under them. I felt the hem of Nicole's underwear as I slipped my hands behind her, grabbing her butt for the first time.

I didn't really know what I was doing exactly, but I could tell that Nicole liked it. I felt her grind against my thigh, which caused her leg that was between my legs to also rub against my... center. I heard Nicole gasp quietly, and I smiled a bit to myself. I pulled away from the kiss and looked at Nicole, biting my lip as I started to push Nicole's jeans off of her butt.

"Take them off," I whispered.  
"Okay," Nicole replied.

She got up on her knees and started pushing her pants down, revealing her plain black underwear. She sat back, pulling her jeans off the rest of the way before tossing them to the floor. She turned back to me as I unbuttoned my own pants. Nicole unzipped them and leaned down to kiss my stomach before pulling them off of me.

Once they were off, she climbed back on top of me, the same way she was before and kiss me. I put my hands back on her hips as we kissed, pulling her against me, trying to encourage her to grind on my leg. I felt her body tense up every time I moved her.

I pulled away from the kiss and moved her again, causing her to gasp. She bit her lip and began grinding on me slowly.

I nodded. "Yeah, do that," I told her.  
"Yeah?" She asked.  
I nodded. "Yeah," I repeated.

Nicole continued, closing her eyes and biting her lip. I kept my hands on her hips, as she moved against me. She let out a quiet moan, and the sound made my heart flutter. I moved my hips against her, and almost moaned out loud right as there was a knock on my door. We both froze and looked at each other.

"Yeah?" I called out.  
"Waverly, is Nicole in there with you?" Gus asked through the door.  
"Uh, yeah. Yeah, she's in the bathroom right now. I'm changing my clothes." I replied, my heart pounding harder than ever before. I was shaking, scared she'd realize why the door was locked and make Nicole leave.  
"Oh, okay. Are you two still going out tonight?" She asked, seeming not at all suspicious.  
"I- I don't think so. We're probably just gonna stay in and watch movies or something."  
"Okay. Well, Curtis and I are going out for a bit. So you girls can help yourselves to any food downstairs."  
"Okay, thanks, Aunt Gus."  
"Bye, hon."  
"Bye."

We listened as Gus walked away from the door, and didn't stop listening until we heard the front door close and Gus's truck was driving away. We looked at each other and chuckled.

"That was close," Nicole said.  
"Yeah," I replied.

I pulled her closer to me and kissed her, feeling her mostly bare skin against mine. We were hot and kind of sweaty but I didn't care. I wanted her to stay right here. My heart was pounding still, and my head was spinning. All I could think about was the feeling of Nicole's lips against mine, her body pressed against me. I reached behind her and unhooked her bra, causing her to pull away from the kiss. Holding her bra to her chest, she sat up and I propped myself up on my elbows.

Nicole seemed nervous, so I sat up and placed a kiss on her chest, just below her collarbone. "It's okay," I told her.  
"Yeah?" She asked.  
I nodded. "Of course."

Nicole nodded and took her bra off, dropping it on the floor. I paused for a moment, taking in the sight of her.

Nicole bit her lip nervously. "Are you okay?" She questioned.  
I ran my hands over her body. Over her chest. "So perfect," I whispered. I looked up, into her eyes. "You're so perfect."

I saw a look of relief in Nicole's eyes as she smiled at me. I gave her a kiss before moving down to her neck. I trailed kisses all the way down to her chest and I felt Nicole's fingers run through my hair. Her hands moved from my hair, down my back, to my bra. She moved back and looked at me with a questioning look. I nodded and she unhooked my bra in one, swift movement. I moved my arms, slipping the bra off. I dropped it on the floor as Nicole kissed my cheek.

"You're gorgeous, baby." She whispered in my ear, her hands running up and down my back before sitting back and pulling me into her lap.

I smiled at her as she pulled me against her. The feeling of our skin touching was amazing. She ran her hands over my body, my chest pressed against hers. I closed my eyes, focusing on the way her soft hands felt on my bare skin. Just the way I'd imagined they would that first night at the diner.

She placed a kiss under my jawline, right next to my pulse point. Her kisses were soft but teasing as she went down my neck. At one point, I felt her graze her teeth against a sensitive spot on my neck and I bucked my hips against her, gasping in response.

She let out an airy chuckle, her warm breath tickling my neck. I smiled a bit as she continued to kiss my shoulder, biting gently a few times. I was now rocking my hips against Nicole, desperate for that friction that drove me insane. Nicole kissed my shoulder before leaning her head down and placing a kiss on my chest.

"Nicole," I whimpered.  
She looked up at me. "Yeah?"  
"I want you. Please," I whined.

Nicole nodded and pushed me away from her, telling me to lay back. I did as she said and she climbed over me, giving me a kiss. She ran her hands over my body slowly before one hand moved closer and closer to where I wanted- no, _needed_ \- her the most.

She kissed me, her soft lips moving against my own, as her hand moved between my legs. She barely touched me at first, teasing. It absolutely worked because after not even a full minute of her rubbing me through my panties, I was whining for more.

I bucked my hips against her touch before reaching down to guide her hand. Her hand slipped into my underwear, and I pulled away from the kiss and moaned out loud as soon as I felt her touch me.

"Oh, wow. You're really wet," Nicole said.  
I chuckled. "I _really_ like you," I replied.

Nicole's fingers teased me, running up and down my wet pussy. I bit my lip as one finger stopped on my clit, rubbing in a slow circle.

I leaned my head back, moaning quietly. "Oh, wow," I breathed.

Nicole slipped one finger inside of me, causing me to tense up a bit. I looked at her, biting my lip again as she moved her hand, slowly slipping her finger in an out of me.

"Oh, _wow_ ," I moaned.

I rocked my hips to match Nicole's movements as she sped up. I'd been penetrated before, but let me tell you, Nicole's hands are way better than Champ's dick.

Nicole kissed my cheek while keeping a steady pace with her hand (talk about multi-tasking), before moving down to take one of my nipples into her mouth. She continued, speeding up, and that, with the combined sensation of Nicole's tongue swirling around my nipple, was enough to bring me closer to the edge.

I gripped the sheets with my left hand, my other arm draped around Nicole. I moved my hips against her hand, moaning and panting.

"Oh, my God, Nicole, I'm so close." I panted, throwing my head back in pleasure.

Upon hearing my announcement, Nicole's hand stopped what it was doing and slipped out of my underwear. I squirmed in response to the loss of contact.

"Nooooo," I whined.

Nicole, however, put her hand to her lips and sucked the finger that had been inside of me. Truth be told, I'd never seen anything so hot in my entire life. She leaned in and kissed me before getting up and climbing on top of me.

She kissed me again before kissing my neck. She made her way down my body, kissing and running her hands all over me. She reached my stomach and peppered it with kisses, occasionally biting gently, and then swiping the spots she bit with her tongue.

I bit my lip in anticipation for whatever she was about to do, but I was beginning to grow impatient. She stopped just as I was about to come...

Nicole looked up at me as she started to pull on my panties. I nodded and lifted my butt so that she could pull them off. Once she had, she tossed them to the floor with the rest of our clothes, and then placed a kiss on my knee. Still running her hands over almost every inch of my skin very gently, Nicole looked at me.

"Are you comfortable?" She asked me.  
I nodded. "Yes," I told her.

She started to push my legs open and I allowed her to, excited to see what would happen next. Nicole laid down on her stomach, settling herself in a position where her face would be right between my legs. I bit my lip. I didn't know a ton about lesbian sex but I had a feeling I knew what she was about to do.

And I was right.

Nicole placed a kiss on each of my inner thighs before placing a kiss on the area just under my bellybutton. My heart was pounding as I waited. Nicole looked up at me again before giving my vulva a slow lick. My body tensed up immediately and I gasped.

 _Wow. Wow, wow, wow. And here I thought her hands felt amazing._

Nicole closed her eyes as she moved her tongue all over. I ran my fingers through her hair as I moaned, rocking my hips just a little bit.

"That feels amazing," I told her.  
Nicole opened her eyes and looked at me, smiling a bit. She stopped for a second. "Yeah?" She asked.  
I nodded, smiling back. "Yeah." I moaned again as she returned her mouth to my pussy, continuing what she was doing. "You look so hot when you're doing that," I moaned.

Nicole chuckled. I felt her tongue slip inside of me and I rocked my hips in response, letting out a sound that could only tell Nicole to do it again. Which, of course she did, and I threw my head back, closing my eyes and rocking my hips against her mouth.

"Oh my- _wow_ ," I breathed. I lifted my head and watched Nicole eat me out. Watching her was so hot. "Shit. Don't stop," I moaned. "I'm- ohhh, my goodness. Oh, Nicole..."

Nicole closed her mouth around my clit and sucked on it, and I immediately exploded. My back arched, my body tensed, and I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming.

"Mmm- ohhh, my gosh." I cried out, trying to keep at least somewhat quiet in case Gus and Curtis came home, but damn was it difficult. Nicole was so good at that.

She slipped her tongue inside of me one more time, causing my entire body to convulse. Her tongue slipped out and she licked up to my clothes, slowing down as soon as she reached the sensitive nub. My body convulsed again and I had to try to scoot away from Nicole to stop her from doing it again.

Nicole chuckled and I couldn't help but laugh. She crawled back up to me and I kissed her. She kissed back, holding herself up. When I pulled away, I licked my lips and Nicole smiled at me.

"You taste good," she told me.  
I nodded. "I do... But I wanna taste you now."  
"You do?" Nicole asked.  
"I do," I answered.  
"You know, you don't have to, Wave, it's okay-"  
I flipped us over so that I was on top and kissed her. I pulled away and smiled at her. "I said I want to," I told her.  
Nicole bit her lip. "Well, if you insist."  
I smiled. "Can I take your, uh, your boy shorts off?" I asked her, tilting my head to the side.  
Nicole laughed. "Yes, you can."

I giggled as she started to push her underwear down, off of her hips. I moved her hands away and kissed her stomach before pulling them the rest of the way off. I tossed them to the floor and climbed on top of her.

I ran my hands over her body, feeling and practically memorizing every dip and curve and the feeling of her skin. She was beyond perfect and I couldn't believe I waited so long to act on my feelings.

I leaned down and began trailing soft, teasing kisses from her chest, down to her stomach. Her breath hitched and I ran my hands up and down her sides. I pushed her legs apart and took in the sight of her.

"Oh, wow," I muttered.  
"What's wrong?" Nicole asked worriedly.  
I looked up at her. "It's my first time seeing another girl's... you know," I told her.  
"Wha- um. What do you think?" She asked, biting her lip anxiously.  
"I think it's beautiful," I answered, smiling.  
Nicole smiled back. "Really?"  
I nodded. "Yes."

I looked at it, using my hands to kind of spread it a bit so I could get a good look.

Nicole swallowed. "Uh, Waverly, you don't have to-" I interrupted her by leaning forward and licking her clit slowly. "Ohhh, wow, okay," she breathed.

I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing but I knew that I could do what I thought would feel good. Which was mostly just licking wherever I could to see if it got a reaction. And it did.

Nicole moaned as she watched me, her right hand on me, running her fingers through my hair. She had the fingertips of her left hand in her mouth, biting down only slightly. I licked her clit again before closing my mouth around it and sucking on it. It wasn't like sucking- well, something else. If anything, I enjoyed this a whole lot more than the shit I did with Champ.

Giving Champ blowjobs was really uncomfortable, so I tried to avoid it as much as possible. I don't know why Wynonna would ever enjoy doing that...

Anyways- when I sucked on Nicole's clit, she moved her hand away from her mouth and moaned.

"Oh, wow, just like that. You're doing so good, baby." She told me as she began to rock her hips against me. I smiled, very much enjoying myself.

 _Wow, this is really hot..._

Suddenly I got an idea and stopped what I was doing, causing Nicole to mutter something in protest.

"Shh, hold on." I told her as I began to get up.

I straddled one of her legs and positioned myself so that my center was right above hers. Nicole bit her lip and smiled at me as I lowered myself a little bit so that our vulvas were pressed against each other. We both moaned at the warm, wet sensation.

"Wow, this is- oh, my god, Waves." Nicole breathed, her hand running over my stomach, feeling my abdomen as I began to move my hips.  
"Mmm... God, you feel so good..." I moaned, looking at her.  
"You- oh, shit- you too, baby."

I put one hand on Nicole's hip and moved my hips a little bit faster, rubbing our centers together. The longer and faster we went, the better it felt. Not that it could really even feel any better than it did, because _holy shit_ it feels _amazing_.

"Oh, Waverly," Nicole moaned.  
 _Music to my ears..._ I smiled, biting my lip. "Mm, oh my goodness, this feels so good," I said.

I leaned down and kissed Nicole before sitting upright again and continuing my movements.

"Go faster, Waves." Nicole told me, one of her hands on my butt.  
"Faster?" I asked.  
Nicole nodded. "Faster, baby. Go faster."

I did as Nicole said and started going faster. I leaned my head back, closing my eyes, and let out a moan. I was panting as I moved my hips, loving the sound and feeling of Nicole.

I felt myself getting closer, just like last time but more intense. I moaned again, lifting my head and looking at Nicole.

"I'm gonna- I'm gonna come," Nicole let out.  
"Come for me, baby..." I told her.  
 _Wow, did I really just say that? Ah, who cares, this feels fantastic._  
"Yeah?" Nicole asked.  
"Yeah, baby... Come for me," I repeated.

Nicole threw her head back, her eyes closed and her eyebrows furrowed as she moaned. I continued moving my hips until we both tensed up at the same time. I tried once again not to moan too loudly as Nicole cried out.

I slowed down, still rubbing our centers together, both of us still moaning but more quiet this time. Our bodies twitched in response to the over stimulation, causing me to stop before it became too much.

I laid down next to Nicole and kissed her. She ran her hand up my side as we kissed and I smiled a bit. We pulled away and looked at each other.

"Nicole?" I asked.  
"Yeah, baby?" She replied.

I tried to decide if I should say what I wanted to. Nicole looked at me for a minute, her eyes searching my face, probably trying to figure out what I was going to say.

"I-" I stopped myself.

Was it too soon to say "I love you"?

Yes _, Waverly, it probably is._ But that doesn't mean that I don't mean it... Of course it doesn't, but is now the right time?

I mean, we just had sex, so maybe now is as good a time as any? _No, no. Don't just say it because you had sex..._ Say it when you're ready.

 _I'm ready._

"I love you," I told her. I watched her face for her reaction, part of me repeatedly saying that it was going to be negative. But it wasn't.  
A huge smile formed on Nicole's face. "I love you too," she replied.

I smiled and kissed her.

 **A/N: SURPRISE! One full chapter of Wayhaught sex! Literally the longest chapter I've ever written for this story... I mean, really, I've teased you guys enough times that you more than deserved over 3000 words worth of Wayhaught smut. Also I mean come on you guys are the best readers ever. You guys make this story worth every word. Thank you so much for supporting this story, and I hope you guys enjoyed the special Wayhaught sex.**

 **xoxo,**  
 **LyricalDisaster**


	12. Love They Say

Nicole and I sat down on the couch downstairs, watching a movie together. I leaned against her, wanting to be upstairs, sleeping. We decided that it would be a good idea to hang out downstairs so that Gus and Curtis wouldn't get suspicious when they got back from their date or whatever they were doing.

My eyelids started drooping as I began to fall asleep. I leaned against Nicole more, snuggling up against her. My eyes shut completely and my breathing evened out. Just as I started to drift off, the front door opened, causing me to open my eyes and jolt upright.

"Whoa, there. It's just us." Gus reassured as she and Curtis entered the house.  
"Oh. Hey. Did you guys enjoy your date?" I asked, yawning. I wrapped my arms around Nicole's body. Her arms wrapped around me and she kissed my forehead. I smiled and giggled.  
Gus stared at us for a second, a small smile spreading across her face. "Yeah, it was nice to get out. Finally," she said. She looked at Curtis, who rolled his eyes.  
"We been out," he grumbled.  
"Yeah, 25 years ago." Gus shot back, shaking her head at him.

I could tell Gus was joking, though. She was smiling at him. She looked back at us.

"So what did you two do while we were gone?" She asked.

I blushed, turning my head to bury my face in Nicole's neck.

Nicole chuckled a bit. "Oh, we just- ya know... watched some movies... and stuff..." She said nervously.  
I looked back at Gus, still blushing, and nodded sheepishly. "Yeah.. yeah, we watched some movies."  
Gus looked at Curtis, and then back at us. "Sounds like fun. Well, you girls go on up to bed. You look like you're about to pass out, Waverly."

I nodded and Nicole and I stood up before turning to head upstairs.

"Nicole, do you have a minute?" Gus asked.  
Nicole turned around to look at Gus and swallowed. "Yeah, of course," she answered.  
Gus looked at me. "You just go on upstairs, sweetness. She'll only be a minute, I promise."  
I nodded. "Um. O-okay."

I turned around and headed upstairs. I silently stopped at the top of the stairs, hiding in the corner, behind the wall. I wanted to hear what they were talking about.

"Nicole, I know how Waverly feels about you... And I want to know that you feel the same way about her," Gus started.  
"I do, ma'am," Nicole responded.  
"You better. Waverly is a sweet girl. Personally, we've never seen her this happy. That moron, Champ... He didn't deserve her. He didn't treat her right. Now for your sake, I hope you do. Because if you hurt her, you're gonna have to deal with Wynonna. And, Lord, I wouldn't wish that upon anyone." Gus told Nicole, her tone not threatening, but kind. She really hoped that we would work out.  
"I know... I don't plan on hurting Waverly. I love her so much. She's honestly the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I'd be a fool to let her go," Nicole replied.  
"Ya damn right you would. And don't you forget it," Curtis said.  
Nicole chuckled. "I won't."  
"I'm sure I don't have to tell you two to be safe... we don't need to have the _talk,_ do we?" Gus asked.  
"Oh, God, no. We're- we're okay." Nicole stuttered quickly, clearly trying to avoid the sex conversation.  
"Calm down, kid, I was joking," Gus chuckled. "Mostly. Don't think that because you're two girls, you don't have to be safe."  
"Oh, I would never think that," Nicole said.

She was so nervous. I felt bad for her. But it was kinda hilarious.

Curtis laughed. "Alright, get upstairs now before Waverly thinks we're grillin' ya."  
Nicole chuckled. "Yes, sir."  
"Goodnight," Gus told her.  
"Goodnight," Nicole replied.

I heard her start to head towards the stairs and decided to head to my room. I sped up my steps a bit, just so that I would make it before she did. I turned around just as she walked into the room, and, of course, she was smiling and shaking her head at me.

"You were listening, weren't you?" Nicole asked me as she closed the door behind her.  
I blushed, smiling sweetly and biting my lip. "Maybe," I answered softly.  
Nicole chuckled and walked over to me. "You're adorable," she told me.  
I wrapped my arms around her neck and ran my fingers through her hair. "Adorable... not really the word I was hoping for... but I'll take it." I smiled at her.  
Nicole raised an eyebrow, her hands moving to grip my hips. "Is that so? What word were you hoping for?"

I grinned, pulling her close to me. I leaned up a bit, lightly brushing my nose against hers. Nicole leaned in to close the space between us, and I responded by pulling back before our lips could touch, teasing her.

"What word would you use to describe me?" I asked quietly.  
"I could think of quite a few, actually..." Nicole responded.  
I smiled at her. "Tell me," I whispered. I leaned forward and placed a kiss on her neck.  
Nicole let out a little sigh. "Mm... Adorable... Beautiful..."

I kissed her neck again before biting down gently. Nicole gasped, gripping my shirt.

"Gorgeous..." A quiet moan. "Sexy..."

I smiled, moving us towards the bed. We laid down and I climbed on top of her, straddling her waist before returning to her neck. I sucked on the soft skin of her neck, the part that drove her crazy. She squirmed underneath me, her grip on my shirt tighter. She pulled on my shirt, bringing my body closer to hers.

After almost a full minute, I pulled away, not bothering to check if I had left a mark on her neck.

Nicole looked at me. "You're so perfect." She whispered, lost in my eyes.  
I was lost in hers. "I love you," I told her.  
"And I love you," she responded.

I kissed her hard and we started to feel each other up. I was so excited. I had been silently wondering when we'd have sex again... I mean, I didn't expect it to be so soon... I definitely hope it would be... but I didn't expect it. Needless to say, I was happy. And horny.

I reached down and unbuttoned Nicole's jeans before slipping my hand inside. I started to rub over her panties, getting an immediate reaction. Our lips moved against each other as I touched Nicole, rubbing her center.

Nicole let out a quiet moan before swallowing and slipping her hand into her jeans to hold onto mine as I touched her. "Oh, fuck- Waverly... Are- are you sure you wanna do this now? While they're home?" She asked quietly, her breathing heavy.  
"They won't hear us... besides, from your conversation with Gus, I'd say they already know," I responded.  
Nicole bit her lip and whimpered. "Waverly, come on-"  
"Baby, at least let me get you off..." I practically begged.  
"Let's do it together," Nicole suggested.  
I nodded. "Yeah," I agreed.  
"Yeah?" Nicole asked.  
I nodded again. "Yes, please."

Nicole unbuttoned my jeans before slipping her hand into them. She went under my panties before moving my hand that was down her pants, underneath her own panties. I bit my lip, enjoying the feeling of her touching me as well as the feeling her warm, wet center.

It was so odd. This was never something I would've imagined myself doing before I met Nicole... fingering another girl... and enjoying it to the point where just the simple act of doing it could probably make me come.

I closed my eyes as Nicole and I rubbed each other's centers, moaning quietly at the feeling of her amazing fingers dancing all over the most sensitive part of my body. I did the same to her, not repeating her movements exactly, but doing what I knew felt good.

"Oh, wow. That feels so good, baby. Keep doing it just like that," Nicole moaned.  
"Really? You like it?" I asked her.  
"Yeah, baby. Don't stop," she responded.  
 _I wouldn't dare._

I continued my movements as Nicole began to rock her hips against my hand. I felt her slip two fingers inside of me and bit my lip, letting out a quiet, muffled moan.

 _"Wave?"_  
"Huh?" I opened my eyes. It was morning... I was in bed with Nicole. _Wait... was the whole night a dream? I don't remember going to sleep..._  
"Hey, morning." Nicole greeted, smiling at me.  
I smiled back. "Hi," I responded. "I don't remember going to sleep last night..."  
Nicole chuckled. "You fell asleep downstairs. Curtis carried you upstairs," she told me.  
I blinked. Wait. _What?_ "I fell asleep? So... you and Gus didn't talk about me and you?" I asked, confused.  
Nicole nodded. "No, yeah, she did. But you were asleep."  
I frowned. "Wow... I dreamt the whole thing..." I muttered.  
"You dreamt what, baby?" Nicole asked, eyebrows furrowed.  
"I went upstairs and overheard you and Gus talking... and when you came back upstairs, we- well... went for round two..." I explained, blushing madly.  
Nicole chuckled. "Sounds like a very exciting dream."  
I smiled. "Oh, it was... I'm just disappointed that it was a dream."  
Nicole bit her lip. "Mmm... well, we can make it a reality?"  
My heart sped up. "I would love that."

Nicole leaned in and kissed me, her hands moving to my lower back. I kissed back, my fingers tangled up in her red hair. She pulled me closer and I bit down on her bottom lip gently. Nicole let out a quiet moan, pulling me closer.

My bedroom door opened and we pulled apart so fast that Nicole almost fell off of my bed. We snapped our heads to look at the door and found Wynonna standing in the doorway.

"Shit, did I interrupt something?" Wynonna asked, cringing.  
I rolled my eyes. "Ever hear of knocking?" I shot back.  
Wynonna made a face, laughing sarcastically. "You both have hickies on your necks," she said.  
My eyes widened. "What?!" I jumped up and looked in my mirror. "Nicole!" I cried.  
Nicole got up and walked over. She looked at my neck and froze. "Shit. I'm so sorry, baby. Wait- dammit, Waves..." She looked at her own neck in the mirror. Hers was a lot darker than mine.  
I looked at it. "No... how are we supposed to hide these?"  
Wynonna snickered. "Ever hear of concealer?" She asked.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to Wynonna and pushed her out of my room. I closed the door and turned around.

"Well... we can try concealer..." I said.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Let's try," she agreed.

I walked over to her and had her sit down. I took my makeup out and grabbed the concealer. I opened it and dabbed some onto Nicole's neck, right on the dark red spot. I started blending it, adding more when necessary, until I thought it was practically invisible.

"Okay... I think that's good," I told her.  
Nicole stood up and looked in the mirror. "I can still kinda see it... but it's better than before."  
"Yeah... I think that's as good as it's gonna get, baby."

I stepped up to the mirror and put the concealer on my own neck. When I was finished, Nicole and I left my room and went downstairs. Gus was in the kitchen, making breakfast, and Curtis was sitting at the table with a newspaper. Wynonna, however, was standing and leaning against the wall. They all looked at us and we smiled awkwardly.

"Mornin' girls," Curtis greeted.  
"Morning, Uncle Curtis," I responded.  
Nicole nodded. "Morning, sir."  
"Sir? You must really love Waverly," Wynonna snickered.  
Gus snorted. "Hush, Wynonna. She's bein' respectful. Which is more than anybody in Purgatory can say for you," she said.  
Wynonna rolled her eyes. "You don't get anywhere by being respectful. You gotta demand things" she replied.  
I chuckled. "She's not wrong," I muttered.

Wynonna smiled at me. I smiled back and wrapped an arm around Nicole's waist, resting my head on her shoulder. Nicole wrapped her arm around my waist and rested her cheek on the top of my head. I closed my eyes and smiled, loving being close to Nicole. I mean, I loved being close to her before, but now it just seemed so much better.

"You two are awfully close. Anything special happen?" Wynonna asked, smirking.  
My smile faded and I opened my eyes and glared at her. "Nothing. I just love my girlfriend," I said. I felt Nicole smile, and couldn't help but smile again.  
Gus handed Wynonna a full plate of food and gave her a knowing look. "Mind your business, Wynonna. Sit down and eat," she said.  
Wynonna made a face. "Fine," she muttered. She sat down as Gus set a plate down for Curtis, and started eating.

Gus served Nicole and I before sitting down herself with her own plate.

 **A few weeks later...**

"10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1! Happy New Year!"

Nicole kissed me. I smiled as everyone around us cheered for the new year. It was exciting. We're closer to graduating, and I couldn't wait. I pulled away from the kiss and looked at Nicole, smiling widely. I held onto the novelty hat I was wearing to keep it from falling off of my head.

Nicole smiled back and leaned close to my ear. "Happy New Year, baby," she whispered.  
I smiled. "Happy New Year," I replied.

I rested my head against her and she put her arm around me. I closed my eyes, sighing. I was happy. Even though we were at a high school New Years party.

"I knew it!" Champ shouted.

I opened my eyes and lifted my head. He was pushing past people, trying to get over to us.

I sighed. "Come on, Nicole. Let's go," I said. I grabbed her hand and started pushing through the crowd of teenagers, in the opposite direction.  
"Was that Champ?" Nicole asked.  
"Yeah," I told her.  
"Wait-" Nicole said, trying to turn back around. "I waanna taalk to hiim." She was drunk.  
I grabbed her arm. "No, Nicole. Let's go." I told her, pulling her towards the front door.  
"Waaverlyy, I jus-"  
"No. We're leaving."  
"Waverly-"  
"You're drunk, Nicole. And he probably is, too. We are leaving."

No one had been paying attention to us, so we were safe to kiss and cuddle, but Champ saw us. I wanted to get away from all of these people before anything happened. Champ has a habit of making a scene, but with both him and Nicole drunk, the scene would be a full-on show.

We made it out the front door of the house and started heading to Nicole's car. Nicole was stumbling as I led her over, struggling to walk in a straight line.

"Here- my keeyss. Youu drive." Nicole slurred, pulling her car keys out and handing them to me.  
I sighed. "You're lucky I know how to drive," I muttered. I took the keys from her and unlocked the car, opening the passenger side for her.

Nicole climbed into the car and I shut the door. I started to make my way around to the driver's side, when suddenly someone grabbed my arm.

"Where are you going?" Champ asked.

I turned around and punched him. Some of the kids outside turned around to look.

"Ow! What the hell?!" Champ asked.  
"Get the hell away from me." I snapped at him, glaring to show I was serious.  
"Kick his ass, Waverly!" Someone called out.  
"Yeah, come on, Earp!" Someone else added.  
I shook my head. "Leave me alone. Or I'll call Wynonna and tell her to bring her bat with her." I threatened Champ before turning around to go to the driver's side of the car.

"You left me for her, didn't you? You two are together now?" Champ asked. He was drunk and pissed off. Horrible combination. Especially for him.

I turned around to look at him. "Does it really matter?" I snapped.  
"Yes!" Champ said.  
"Why, Champ? Why does it matter?"  
"Because it's disgusting!"  
"Oh, shut up!"  
"You can't be gay! You were with me!"  
"So what? Just go, Champ. I already told you a long time ago to leave me alone!"  
"Fine! But I'm gonna tell everyone that you're a dyke!"  
"Do whatever the fuck you want, Champ! I don't care anymore."

I turned around and rushed to the driver's side, not giving him any time to stop me. I got into the car and started it. I drove away, heading back home.

"Did you punch Champ?" Nicole asked quietly.  
"Yeah... I did," I answered.  
"Good. He's an asshole," she responded.

I chuckled. I pulled up to the house and parked the car before shutting it off. I got out and walked around to the passenger side and opened the door.

"Come on, baby." I said, helping Nicole out of the car.  
Nicole kissed my forehead once she was out. "Happy New Year, Waverly." She said, holding something out to me.  
I looked at it. It was a ring... Her ring... The ring she wore every day. "Oh, Nicole... I- I can't. Georgia gave that to you. I can't take that. It's special." I looked up at her.  
"That's why I wanna give it to you... You're special to me. Just like she was. And she loved you," Nicole told me.  
I smiled at her. "Did she really?" I asked.  
Nicole nodded. "She did. And I do too." She smiled at me.

I blushed, still smiling, and looked down at the ring. Nicole took my hand and slipped the ring onto the ring finger of my right hand. I intertwined my fingers with hers and looked up at her. Nicole smiled at me. I leaned in and kissed her softly. When we pulled away, I let go of Nicole's hand and reached up to take my necklace off. I held it out to her. Nicole smiled and allowed me to put it around her neck. I closed the clasp and smiled at her. I put my arms around her neck and she put hers around my waist.

"I love you, Nicole Haught." I told her, smiling.  
"I love you too, Waverly Earp." Nicole responded, smiling back.

I closed my eyes as our lips connected, my heart fluttering. It was crazy how she still managed to make me feel this way.

Nicole pulled away. "Let's go to sleep now, yeah?" She asked.  
I chuckled and nodded. "Yeah. You've had a lot to drink tonight," I said.  
She chuckled. "Well, it is New Years, isn't it?"  
I laughed. "It is," I agreed.

We went inside and headed upstairs to my room. We laid down in my bed and I wrapped my arms around Nicole's waist, resting my head on her chest. Nicole wrapped her arms around me and kissed the top of my head. I felt her chest move up and down with each breath, and heard her heartbeat.

I closed my eyes and sighed contentedly.


	13. Happy Birthday, Nicole

"Waverly, are you sure she's gonna like all this?" Wynonna asked me as she helped me put up decorations.

I planned a surprise party for Nicole, since today is her eighteenth birthday. I wanted to do something special for her since her grandmother was gone. I just wanted to make her happy.

"I'm not sure. But we'll find out!" I responded, flashing a hopeful smile.  
"Well, she loves you, baby girl, so I'm sure she'll love all this," Wynonna told me.

I smiled. "I hope so... I mean, I just wanna do something special." I told Wynonna, looking around at all the decorations. I'd made them myself.

Gus smiled. "Sweetheart. This is more than special," she told me.

I smiled widely. Wynonna and I finished putting up the final decorations and I stepped back to admire them. They looked amazing. All of Nicole's favorite colors. I was happy with it. God, I hope she likes it.

I looked over at Wynonna. "Shit, the food. Do you mind, Wyn?" I asked her.

Wynonna shook her head. "I'm on it. Just make sure everything is ready when I get back," she told me.

I nodded and Wynonna grabbed her keys, heading out the door. Gus walked over and started helping me finish everything. We had ordered some food from Shorty's, and Gus baked Nicole a cake since it was just us. I didn't invite anybody else because nobody at school knew that we were together... Well, at least, I'm pretty sure they didn't. By now, Champ could've told everyone. It didn't matter though, I was sick of my "friends" anyways. Hanging out with them was like hanging out with Willa. They were all rude and thought I was weird.

"Is everything ready?" I asked, looking around the room. Everything needed to be perfect.

"Just about," Curtis responded. He held up a hand and went into the air as he left the room. He walked into his and Gus's bedroom, staying in there for a few minutes. He came out with a couple of boxes in his hands. He walked over and set them on the table. "Nothing too expensive, but we made sure to get her some things," he said.

I smiled widely. "That's so sweet. You guys didn't have to do that," I said.

Gus shook her head. "Oh, nonsense, Waverly. That girl deserves the world for how happy she makes you." She told me, kissing my cheek.

We finished setting everything up just in time for Wynonna to come back with the food. She set it down on the table and just as we started unpacking all of the food, there was a knock on the front door. I knew it was Nicole. Even though she'd been staying with us (as a way of avoiding being sent back to her parents), she still didn't feel comfortable just walking into the house.

"It's open!" Curtis shouted out.

We got into our places as the front door opened, and Nicole walked in.

"Surprise!" We exclaimed.

Nicole looked around with wide eyes and a huge smile. "What's all this?" She asked me.

I walked over to her. "It's a surprise party, silly! For your birthday," I told her. I gave her a kiss. "Happy birthday, baby."  
Nicole smiled at me, kissing my cheek. "Thank you so much. I love it," she said. She looked at Wynonna, Gus, and Curtis. "Thank you. You all are too kind."  
Gus walked over and held her arms out to Nicole. Nicole stepped forward and they embraced each other. "Happy birthday, Nicole." Gus said quietly, rubbing Nicole's back.

Nicole smiled, tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you," she replied.

When Gus released her, Curtis walked over and gave Nicole a hug as well. "Happy birthday, kid." He told her, patting her back.

"Thank you, sir," Nicole responded.  
Wynonna was last. She walked over to Nicole and, surprisingly, gave her a tight hug. "Happy birthday," she told her.

They pulled away and Nicole smiled at them all. "Thank you. Seriously, this is amazing."

I pulled Nicole over to the dining room table and Gus served the food. We all ate and then Gus brought the cake out. She set it down on the table in front of Nicole and Curtis lit the candles. Wynonna shut off all the lights, and we stood around the table, with the cake in front of Nicole.

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Nicole. Happy birthday to you!" We all sang to her.  
"Make a wish, baby," I told Nicole.

Nicole smiled widely, closing her eyes. She kept them closed for a minute before opening them and blowing the candles out. We cheered and clapped and Wynonna turned the lights back on. Gus started cutting the cake into pieces so that she could serve it. I looked at Nicole, smiling.

"What did you wish for?" I asked.

Nicole chuckled. "I thought you couldn't tell anyone or else it wouldn't come true?" She responded.

I pouted. " Aw, that's right. Man," I whined.

Nicole giggled. She leaned close to my ear. "I'll tell you later," she whispered.

I smiled and Nicole kissed my cheek. I blushed and giggled. Gus watched us with a small smile before serving the first piece of cake, which was Nicole's. She served me next, then Wynonna, then Curtis, and then herself.

Nicole took a bite and smiled. "This is amazing, Gus." She complimented, looking up at Gus.

"Thank you very much, Nicole. I'm glad you enjoy it," Gus said with a smile.

After cake, Nicole opened her presents. Wynonna got her a gift she said she wasn't allowed to open until later, making me feel very suspicious about what it was exactly. Gus and Curtis got Nicole a necklace, a book, and a key to the house.

When Nicole opened the box that had the key in it, her eyes teared up. She looked up at them. "It's a- a key..." She said.

Gus nodded. "Yeah. For the house. So that you can stop knockin' on that damn door," she chuckled. Nicole laughed.

"Far as we're concerned, yer family. And family doesn't knock on doors, waitin' for permission to come inside," Curtis added.

Nicole smiled. "Oh, wow. Thank you so much. I really- thank you."

Gus and Curtis nodded, each giving Nicole a hug. I had my present for her upstairs in my room, so when the party was over, I led Nicole upstairs. I closed the door, and told her to sit on the bed and close her eyes.

Nicole did as I said and sat down on my bed and closed her eyes tightly, patiently waiting for her present. I went into my drawer and pulled out a little book I made. It was filled with pictures of us. Pictures we'd taken together since we first started hanging out. Pictures of us after we started dating. Our favorite pictures.

I told her to open her eyes and she did. I handed the book to her and she smiled at me. She opened the book and slowly flipped through the pages.

"Waves... This is beautiful..." She told me. She flipped all the way through to the final page, where I'd written a note. "Thank you for so many amazing memories so far. I hope we continue to make more and more memories as time goes on. Happy birthday, baby. I love you." Nicole's smile never once went away. The tears were now falling down her cheeks. She looked up at me. "Thank you, baby. I love you so much," she told me.  
"I love you, too." I responded, leaning in and kissing her.

Happy birthday, Nicole.

 **A/N: Okay so this is a bit late, and also preeeetty short.**

 **Hehe "an hour late and an Earp short"...**

 **Anyways, January 5th is our favorite cop's birthday, so as of a few days ago Nicole Haught is 27 years old! I just wanted to write this chapter to acknowledge Nicole's birthday.**

 **Sorry I'm posting this late. I had trouble with this site when I first tried to publish it (which was on the 5th) and didn't have time to try again until now.**

 **Also I wanted to let you guys know that I adjusted Wynonna and Willa's ages, lowering them by one year. The reason for this is because I want Waverly to be 16 instead of 17 (I have no idea if I even stated Waverly's age in this story at all), because it would fit the whole "she skipped a grade" thing. Speaking of Waverly's age... How old do you think Waverly is on the show? I think her birthday is September 8th, 1995 (therefore 22) but someone on the Wynonna Earp Wiki keeps changing it to 1994 (which would make her 23)... Judging by the fact that Wynonna said she was 12 when Ward died, and Waverly said she was 6, I think that means she's 6 years younger than Wynonna... So I'm pretty sure she's 22, right? I dunno. I'm confused, guys. Lemme know what you think!**

 **Thank you all so much for the support! I'm glad you enjoy this story!**


	14. Family Comes First

"Oh, Nicole, you haven't opened Wynonna's present yet." I spoke, standing up to grab the little box Wynonna had given her.  
"Oh, right," Nicole responded. She stood up and walked over to me. I handed her the box and she looked at me, nervously. "Do you know what it is?" She asked.  
I shook my head. "No. But I am kinda scared to find out..." I muttered.  
"It can't be that bad, can it?" Nicole asked.  
I shrugged. "Honestly, it's Wynonna, so who really knows?"

Nicole sighed and opened the box. She looked at the whatever was inside and smiled a bit. She took it out of the box and smiled even bigger. It was a gift certificate for a spa weekend. The weekend right before we went back to school.

"Wow... I didn't even know there was a spa around here," Nicole said.  
I chuckled. "There isn't," I told her.  
"So where is this?" She asked, confused.  
"It's over in the city. Almost an hour drive," I replied.  
"Oh. Well, it's still nice. And it says it's for two," Nicole said. She looked up at me and smiled. "I'm assuming the "two" is me and you."  
I smiled. "How sweet of her... but as much as Gus and Curtis love you... I doubt they'd let me go away with you for an entire weekend... _alone_."  
Nicole nodded a bit. "Yeah, that's true," she said. She looked down and shook her head slightly. "That's- that's okay. I'll just ask Wynonna to go with me." She looked back up. "Hey, it would give me some time to get to know your sister a little more." She said with a smile.

I sighed and opened my mouth to respond, but was cut off by a knock on the door.

"Uh- Come- Come in," I said.

The door opened and Wynonna walked in. She looked at us and smiled a bit.

"You opened it." She said, looking at Nicole.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Wynonna. It's really sweet." she replied, smiling.  
Wynonna nodded. "No problem. I figured you'd wanna take some time to relax. Spend some alone time with Waverly," she said.  
"Actually-" Nicole started.  
Wynonna's eyebrows furrowed. "What? Is there something wrong with the gift? I- I just thought you'd rather have like- an experience or whatever instead of, like, a material thing... Plus, I wasn't sure what you liked so I just- I- I didn't wanna get you the wrong thing or- or something too expensive, so I just-"  
Nicole shook her head. "Wynonna, the gift is fine. I love it, really. It's just that... Waverly thinks Gus and Curtis won't let her go," she said.  
Wynonna sighed. "Oh... Right. Well..." She trailed off. She closed the door and walked over to us. "I could drive you guys over there... Make Gus and Curtis think we're all going together?" She suggested.  
My eyes widened. "You'd do that?" I asked her.  
"Well, yeah. They whole point of that damn certificate is so the two of you can enjoy it. I sure as hell am not going to a spa," Wynonna chuckled.  
Nicole smiled. "Thanks, Wynonna. Really, this means a lot."  
Wynonna nodded and smiled. "Yeah, yeah. Of course."

Wynonna left the room, leaving me alone with Nicole, who was sitting on my bed. I walked over to her and straddled her, sitting on her lap. Nicole put her arms around me and smiled. I smiled back and ran my fingers through her hair.

"I'm so lucky..." muttered as my eyes scanned over her face. I'd memorized practically every detail of her features. She was so perfect...  
Nicole chuckled. "No, baby... I'm the lucky one," she told me.

I blushed as Nicole leaned forward and placed a very gentle kiss on my nose. I looked at her and cupped her face in my hands and caressed her cheek. I leaned forward, closing my eyes and brushing my nose against hers. Nicole's arms tightened around my body, bringing me closer to her. Our lips touched, and my heart was pounding. I felt chills being so close to her, even after being with her for the amount of time we have so far. Nicole's lips were so soft... and warm... I deepened the kiss, moving my hands down to her neck.

I pulled away from the kiss and smiled at her. "We should... get ready to go to that spa," I told her.  
Nicole chuckled. "Just... one more kiss," she whispered. She put a finger under my chin and leaned forward a bit, kissing me softly.  
I giggled, smiling into the kiss before pulling away. "Okay... Maybe just a few more..."

We kissed again, our lips moving against each other. After a while, we pulled away and Nicole buried her face in my neck. Her arms were still wrapped around me tightly. I wrapped my arms around her neck, hugging her. She inhaled deeply, through her nose, and then sighed. She lifted her head, and her mouth was right next to my ear.

"I love you," she whispered.  
Her warm breath tickled me and her voice sent shivers down my spine. "And I love you," I replied.

Nicole pressed a kiss on my cheek, then my jawline, and then my neck. I smiled, feeling the heat rise up my neck and cheeks. I was warm, and blushing. I reluctantly pulled away and looked at her.

"We have to start packing for the weekend," I told her.  
Nicole sighed. "Alright..." She groaned. She stood up with me still on her lap, hooking her arms around my legs and holding me in place. She stood up straight, lifting me as if I weighed absolutely nothing. She spun around a couple of times, and I held onto her for dear life, giggling like a little girl.  
"Nicole! Don't drop me!" I squealed, laughing. I ended up pinned against the wall, Nicole still holding me up, my legs wrapped around her waist.  
"I would never," Nicole promised me. She looked at me, her warm brown eyes full of love and admiration... No one had ever looked at me like that before... "No matter what, baby. I will never, ever, let you fall."  
Tears welled up in my eyes as we stared at each other. I knew she really meant it. "God-" I let out a quiet laugh. I let go of Nicole just long enough to wipe my tears away as they fell. I chuckled and looked at her, holding onto her once more. "How did I get so goddamn lucky?" I asked.

Nicole let out a quiet laugh before kissing my cheek and then letting me down onto my feet. She kissed me one last time before smiling at me, and we went ahead and started to pack up for the weekend. We headed downstairs with our bags, where Wynonna was waiting.

"Hey, you two. What took you so long?" Wynonna asked with a wink.  
I rolled my eyes. "We were talking," I lied.  
Gus snorted, causing us to all look at her in disbelief. She looked up at us. "What?" She asked.  
"What was that?" Wynonna asked, an amused smile on her face.  
Gus smiled. "Oh, it was nothin'. So all three of you are going on some spa weekend?" She asked.  
Wynonna nodded. "Yep. It's Nicole's birthday present from me. I figured they'd wanna, ya know, relax before having to go back to school. These last few months are gonna be actual hell for them," she said with a nervous chuckle. She was worried Gus would find out that she was letting me and Nicole spend the weekend alone. Honestly, I was too.  
Gus nodded. "Okay. Well, you take care of your sister, ya hear? I want her coming back here in one piece, Wy."  
"Of course, Gus. I'd never let anything happen to her. You know that." Wynonna swore, her expression serious now.

We said bye to Gus and Curtis and promised to be careful, before we went out to Wynonna's truck. We put our bags in the back of the pickup, before climbing onto the surprisingly roomy backseat. We buckled our seat belts and Wynonna started the truck.

When she started driving, I decided to ask her where she was planning to go for the weekend.

"What do you mean?" Wynonna asked.  
"You can't go back to Purgatory. Gus and Curtis are gonna know that you're not with us," I replied.  
"Ohh, right. Shit. I really didn't think about that," Wynonna muttered. She shrugged. "Eh, well. I'll figure something out, I guess."  
"You sure? I mean... You can always take my place," I offered.  
"What? No. Nicole is your girlfriend. I already told you, that gift was for both of you," she told me.  
"I just don't want you to be alone for three days." I said sadly, a frown on my face.  
"I know, Wave, but I don't want you to miss out on something like this. Besides, you two deserve some alone time. You won't be getting much of it after this week," Wynonna said.  
Nicole shrugged. "It's okay. I mean, as long as I'm with Waverly, I'm perfectly fine," she told Wynonna. I blushed. _God, this girl is too amazing._  
Wynonna made a fake gagging sound. "Barf," she muttered. She rolled her eyes and then smiled. She was joking.

We figured that Wynonna was right and left things alone for the rest of the drive... Or so she thought. While she thought we were cuddling, we were actually texting each other, making up a plan. We decided to pool our money together and buy Wynonna her own gift certificate for the same spa weekend. Once we got there, however, would be the tricky part. We'd have to distract Wynonna long enough to actually _pay_ for it. But we had it all figured out. For the most part, at least. I was going to be the one paying, while Nicole was going to be the distraction.

NH: Are you sure this is gonna work?  
WE: Absolutely. Just make sure she doesn't leave while I take care of everything else.  
NH: Okay... It's just that your sister seems a little... stubborn.  
WE: Oh, she is. But if you're gonna be a cop someday, you'll have to learn how to deal with stubborn people ;)

Nicole chuckled at the text.

NH: I guess you're right  
WE: I know I'm right. The police in Purgatory have to deal with a hell of a lot worse than Wynonna. Trust me. Wynonna'll be a piece of cake!

Nicole kissed my cheek before whispering, "I hope you're right."

I smiled, looking in Wynonna's direction to see if she'd noticed. She didn't.

When we got to the spa, Nicole and I got out of the truck and started our plan.

"Hey, Wynonna, can I talk to you about something? Like, something kinda personal?" Nicole asked.  
Wynonna made a face. "Uhh, sure, Haught. What's up?" She asked, getting out of the truck.  
"I'll just go check us in. Be back in a jiff!" I said to them. Wynonna nodded in response, and I headed inside.

I walked up to the desk and pulled out the money Nicole and I had put together. along with the gift certificate Wynonna had given to Nicole.

I smiled at the woman. "Hi, is there any way I could add another person to this?" I asked, handing her the certificate. I looked at her name tag, which read Ashley. It fit her.  
Ashley looked at it and shook her head. "Uh, no. I'm sorry," she answered. She handed it back and I sighed.  
"Ah, well, I'd like to buy another certificate. For one," I told her.  
Ashley nodded. "That'll be... $100." She told me, looking at her computer.  
"$100?" I asked. She nodded. "Oh, God, okay. Shit," I muttered. I counted the money Nicole and I had put together. We were about $10 off. I sighed and looked behind me. Wynonna and Nicole were still talking. I looked back at Ashley. "All I have is $90," I told her.  
"Sorry, there's nothing I can do."  
"Please? It's just $10. I'm trying to do something nice for my big sister. She gave me and my girlfriend this certificate and we just don't want her to be alone all weekend. Please?" I begged.  
Ashley sighed. "Alright. $90 is fine. Just- don't tell anyone," she muttered.  
I nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah. No, of course."  
She took the money and handed me a certificate for one. "Are you ready to check in?" She asked.  
I nodded. "Yeah. Yes. Please," I told her.

Ashley checked me in and handed two pairs of room keys. One for Nicole and me, one for Wynonna. She then handed me a list of things the spa offered for the three days. It wasn't the best spa, or the most eventful little retreat thing, but it was still something.

I thanked Ashley for the help and then went back outside. I tossed Wynonna her key. She caught it, but looked at me like I was a calculus problem.

"We got you your own certificate for the spa retreat," I explained.  
Wynonna looked at Nicole, who nodded, and then back at me. "Guys, this is amazing, but you really didn't have to," she said.  
Nicole shrugged. "Don't worry about it," she said.

I handed Wynonna one of the lists I had and me and Nicole grabbed our things. Wynonna had a bag of clothes that she always kept in the truck in case of an emergency, so she grabbed that, and the three of us headed inside to go to our rooms.

When Nicole and I found our room, we went inside. It wasn't huge, but it was pretty nice. Th'e bed was big enough for both of us, so that was good. I set my bag down as Nicole closed the door and walked over. She set her bag down next to mine and stepped behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her chin on my shoulder. I smiled and leaned against her, my hands on hers.

"This is nice already," I said.  
Nicole let out a quiet chuckle. "Yeah. It is," she agreed.

Nicole reached up and moved my hair away from my neck before pressing a soft kiss on my skin. I got goosebumps and smiled a bit. I turned around to face her, her arms still around my waist. I reached up and brushed her hair behind her ears. I smiled at her before leaning forward and kissing her. Eventually, we decided to take showers and go to bed. We wanted to wait until the next day to really do anything. Nicole went first, and I went second. She was already in pajamas and laying on the bed when I got out of the shower. I dried off and wrapped a towel around my body, using another one to dry my hair.

Nicole was on her phone, scrolling through something. I walked over to the bed and climbed onto it, sitting on my knees. I grabbed my hairbrush from my bag and started brushing it. I smiled at Nicole.

"What are you looking at, baby?" I asked.  
Nicole showed me her screen. "This," she said.  
I stopped brushing my hair and looked at her phone. I put my brush down and grabbed her phone, looking at it closer. They were pictures of adorable cats! I smiled and giggled. "Aw! That's cute," I said. I handed her phone back to her and picked up my brush, continuing to brush my hair.  
Nicole smiled. She locked her phone and watched me. "You're so beautiful, you know that?" She asked.  
I blushed. "Thank you." I replied. "You know..." I finished brushing my hair and put the brush down. "You're the first person that's ever told me that," I told her.  
She looked at me in disbelief. "What? Really?" She asked. She was clearly shocked.  
I nodded. "Yep. Not even Champ," I said.  
Nicole rolled her eyes. "Well, _Champ_ is just a shithead."  
I chuckled. "Believe me, I know. I thought being called "hot", or "sexy", or- ya know- "bomb" was enough... I thought it made me feel good about myself... But it didn't. I felt really, really objectified. It wasn't just Champ though. A lot of guys talked about me like that."  
Nicole shook her head. "I mean, you definitely are all of those things. But you're also beautiful, and gorgeous."  
I smiled. "Thanks, baby."  
"I'm just speaking the truth." She smiled and leaned in to give me a kiss.

I kissed back before we pulled away and smiled at each other. I stood up before gabbing my pajamas out of my bag. I was going to go change in the bathroom, but decided it really didn't matter. I mean, Nicole and I have had sex before... Not very many times, but we've still done it. She's seen me naked plenty of times. I put my clothes down on the bed and dropped my towel. Nicole seemed completely unfazed and just smiled at me. I smiled back, grabbing my panties and slipping them on. I pulled on my shorts, and then my shirt. I didn't bother putting a bra on since I'd just be in bed.

I went into the bathroom with my towels and hung them up before going to brush my teeth. When I was done, I walked back out of the bathroom and joined Nicole on the bed. We got under the covers and Nicole wrapped her arms around me. I rested my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes. I tried to go to sleep, but I wasn't tired. I lifted my head a little bit. I pressed a kiss against Nicole's cheek, causing her to smile. I moved to kiss lower, on her neck.

"Waverly," Nicole said.  
"Yes?" I asked. I lifted my head to look at her, smiling.  
"What are you doing?" She asked, grinning.  
"Mm... I think you know," I told her.

Nicole chuckled. I kissed her neck again, this time parting my lips. I bit her neck gently and she made a quiet sound. I straddled her and kissed her neck a few more times before kissing her cheek again.

I looked at her. "I want you," I whispered.

Nicole kissed me, one of her hands on the back of my neck, her other on my lower back. With every kiss, I felt my body get warmer. The kisses deepened and Nicole's hands moved down to my butt. Eventually, she rolled us over so that she was on top, my legs wrapped around her waist.

Nicole pulled away. "Wait-" she said. She looked at me. "This... this is illegal now, isn't it?" She asked.  
My eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?" I asked her.  
"Waverly, I'm eighteen now..." Nicole answered.  
"So?"  
"You're sixteen... that's- this is illegal."  
"I'm not gonna tell anyone."  
"I know, but what if someone finds out that we did it? Like Gus? Or- or Curtis?"  
I shook my head. "Baby, they probably know that we've done it before."  
"Well, then your dad? Or Willa?"  
"How would they find out?"  
Nicole shrugged. "I-... I don't know." She sighed. "I'm just scared. I don't wanna get in trouble if someone finds out that we're having sex."  
I nodded. "Okay. That's okay. We don't have to," I told her.

Nicole nodded and laid down next to me. She kissed my cheek and wrapped her arms around me. I sighed and rested my head against her chest. I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep to the sound of her heart, and the feeling of her chest moving up and down with each breath she took.

I did fall asleep at some point, because the next morning I woke up to the sound of urgent knocking on the door. I opened my eyes just as Nicole stood up.

"What is that?" I asked her groggily.  
"Just the door, baby. Go back to sleep," Nicole told me. She bent down and kissed my forehead before walking to the door to open it. "Wynonna, what-"  
Wynonna cut her off by pushing her way into the room. "Waverly, we have to go now." She said quickly, looking at me with a worried look on her face.  
I sat up immediately. "What? What happened?" I asked.  
"Willa's in the hospital," Wynonna told me.  
"What?" I exclaimed. "Oh, my God."  
"Daddy's not at the Homestead. Gus said it looked like he took all of his things and left. They tried to call him to tell him what happened to Willa," Wynonna explained.  
"Where would he go?" I asked her.  
She shrugged. "I have no idea," she responded.  
I sighed. "We should head back to Purgatory," I muttered.  
Wynonna nodded. She looked at Nicole. "I'm so sorry you didn't get to enjoy this..." She said.  
Nicole shook her head. "Don't even worry about it. Family comes first," she replied. She kissed my cheek. I flashed a small smile.

Wynonna stood up so that we could pack up our things and leave. I sat in the backseat of the truck with Nicole again and just spent the whole ride cuddled up against her side. She held me tightly, which made me feel secure. Like if she let go, I'd fall apart. Sure, my family was beyond dysfunctional, and Willa and Daddy weren't the best people- okay, they were pretty bad- but they were still family. Now Willa was in the hospital, and Daddy was missing.

I didn't wanna let go of Nicole.

Not even when we arrived at the hospital to visit Willa.


	15. It Won't Be Forever

Wynonna pulled into the hospital parking lot and parked. I sighed, finally letting go of Nicole as we all got out of the truck. When Nicole climbed out, she took my hand and held it, giving it a gentle but affectionate squeeze. I knew it was her way of reassuring me that she was there. I squeezed back as we started towards the entrance to the hospital. We walked through the big doors, and looked for anyone who could help us. Nicole saw the nurses' station, and pointed towards it. Wynonna rushed over when she saw it and looked at the woman sitting at her computer.

"Hi, I need to find one of the patients here," Wynonna said.  
The nurse looked up at her. "Name?" She asked.  
"Willa Earp," Wynonna told her.  
The woman typed it in and glanced up at Wynonna. "Um," she said. "Just a second..."  
"Wha- What do you mean?" I asked.

The nurse simply stood up and walked away, not telling us where she was going or what was happening.

"Hey! We wanna see our sister!" Wynonna called to her.  
I scoffed as the woman kept walking. "Lady! Seriously?" I exclaimed.  
Nicole shook her head. "What the hell?" She muttered.  
Wynonna tried to look at the monitor. "What the shit is going on here?!" She growled, stepping back and slamming her hand on the desk.  
Another nurse walked over. "Excuse me, miss, I'm gonna have to ask you to calm down," she said.  
"I'll calm down when someone tells me what's going on with my goddamn sister," Wynonna spat.  
I let go of Nicole's hand and grabbed Wynonna's arm. "Come on. Stop," I whispered.

The other nurse came back with a doctor, Sheriff Nedley, and Gus following her. Gus walked over to us and hugged me and Wynonna for a second, before the doctor and Nedley stopped in front of us.

"Ladies," Nedley greeted.  
"Hey, Sheriff," I responded. Wynonna only nodded.  
Nedley nodded back, and gestured to the doctor. "This is Dr. Jameson. He's treating Willa," he told us.  
"Okay, well, can we see her?" Wynonna asked.  
Nedley shook his head. "Not just yet. There's some things you need to know first," he told us.  
Wynonna and I looked at each other. What was he talking about? I was confused, and I could tell Wynonna was too. I looked at Nedley. "What- What is it?" I asked him. I swallowed nervously, scared of what he was gonna say.  
Nedley sighed. "Willa is in recovery right now. She was in pretty bad shape when she was brought in and needed emergency surgery. Your father is-"  
"Gone. Yeah, we know. What happened?" I asked, interrupting him.  
"Let the man talk, Waverly." Gus scolded, looking at me. I sighed. I wanted to know what happened.  
Nedley cleared his throat. "It seems Willa and your father got into an argument before he left. We haven't found Ward... And in all honesty, we don't expect to. He seems to have left without a trace. Your sister, whoever... She was driving under the influence... And, um. Well, she got into a pretty nasty accident... Crashed into another car. And the other person... Well, they didn't make it."

 _Oh, my God. Willa, what were you thinking?_

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Who was it?" I asked.  
Nedley looked at Nicole and then back at me. "We're keeping the victim's identity a secret. Until the family is ready," he said. "But Dr. Jameson says you and Wynonna can go see your sister."  
I nodded and took Wynonna's hand. "Come on," I told her.

Wynonna nodded and we all walked, following Dr. Jameson and Nedley to Willa's room. When we got there, Nicole told me that she'd be there when I was done, and then Wynonna and I walked in. Willa was all bandaged up... She had a cast on one of her arms and her face had cuts and bruises. Wynonna walked over to the side of her bed, taking hold of her hand.

Willa opened her eyes and looked at Wynonna. "Hey, Nonna." She greeted a small smile spreading across her lips.  
Wynonna flashed a smile. "Jesus, Will. Look at you," she said. "What the hell were you thinking?"  
Willa's eyes watered. "I was thinking that I needed to get as far away from Daddy as possible," she responded.  
Wynonna let out a sob as new tears began falling down her cheeks. "They're gonna lock you up, Willa."  
"Maybe I deserve it," Willa told her.

Tears fell down my own cheeks and I sniffed, looking down. I didn't know if I wanted to be in here for this. It was too much.

"Waverly?" Willa asked quietly.  
I looked up. "Um. I'm- I'm sorry," I spoke quickly. I turned around to leave.  
"Wait-" I heard Willa say. I turned around. "Come here," she told me.  
I walked over to her and Wynonna moved out of the way so I could sit next to Willa. Willa held her hand out to me and I took it. "Thank you for coming," she muttered.  
"Of course," I replied.  
Willa looked at me, her eyes scanning my face. She let go of my hand and reached up, wiping away one of my tears with her finger. "I'm so sorry... For everything. I was blaming you for things you had no control over... Things that weren't your fault. Daddy treated you unfairly... And so did I," she said.  
I looked down, blinking more tears away.  
Willa wiped them again. "You're good. You're a good girl, Waverly. And I'm sorry I wasn't a better sister to you," she whispered.  
I scoffed a bit. "It's not like you didn't have a reason," I mumbled.  
"You're wrong. I _didn't_ have a reason. I made your life a living hell, and I'm sorry."  
I looked up at her. She really meant it this time.  
"And it's okay if you don't forgive me."  
I didn't know if I did.  
"I don't deserve to be forgiven. I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry."  
I nodded. "Thank you," I told her.

Willa smiled at me. Dr. Jameson came in and told us that Willa needed to rest. We understood, gave a kiss from each of us and left the room. When I walked out of the room, Nicole and Sheriff Nedley were talking about something, a few feet away. I decided to walk over and see what was going on. As I got closer, I could hear Nedley.

"I sent in a recommendation to a very good police academy out in the big city. They got back to me and said they want you to sign up as soon as possible so that you can start right outta high school," Nedley told Nicole.  
Nicole nodded. "But, Sheriff, it's out in the city... That's not very close," she told him.  
Nedley nodded. "Yeah, well, it's also the best police academy in the state. Nicole, we all have to make sacrifices for the things we wanna do. You understand?"  
Nicole sighed and nodded. "Yeah. I understand. I'll sign up."

I heard that and sighed. I turned right around and went to go sit with Gus. She put a hand on my back and rubbed in a soothing manner. I smiled at her, leaning my head against her shoulder.

Wynonna walked over and sighed. "I was gonna go to the Homestead and check things out, if you wanna come, Waves," she said.  
I lifted my head and nodded. "Yeah," I responded. I gave Gus a kiss on the cheek and stood up, following Wynonna.

We walked right past Nicole and Sheriff Nedley, and I didn't look back as we did so. Wynonna did, however, and looked at me as we exited the hospital.

"What about Nicole?" Wynonna asked.  
I shook my head. "She's talking to Nedley," I answered. I got into the passenger seat of her truck and sighed, putting my seat belt on. "Nedley sent a recommendation to some police academy in the city. The big city," I spoke once Wynonna was in the driver's seat.  
"For what?" She asked. She started the truck and pulled out of the parking spot.  
"For Nicole. I overheard him telling her that they want her to sign up soon so she can go right after graduation..."  
"What? Is she gonna do it?"  
"She told him she would."  
"Has she told you about it?"  
"Nope."  
"Oh, that's why you didn't tell her we were leaving?"  
I nodded.  
"Well, Waves, you can't start giving her the cold shoulder... I mean, it's not exactly her fault."  
"I know it's not, but she could've at least talked to me about it before she said yes."  
Wynonna nodded a bit, shrugging. "Yeah, you're right."

She drove out of through the town, focusing on the road. I sat in silence, beginning to think of everything that's been going on. I looked out the window, wondering where Mama was. What she'd think of everything.

"So... did you and Nicole bang last night?" Wynonna asked me.  
I looked at her and she was smirking. I rolled my eyes. "No. I tried, but-"  
"But what? Don't tell me she didn't want to," Wynonna said.  
I shook my head. "She didn't."  
"What? Why not?"

I shrugged. "She said she didn't wanna get in trouble because she's eighteen now."  
Wynonna rolled her eyes. "Ugh. That's bullshit. Champ just turned eighteen, like, not even that long ago, and you screwed him with no problems."  
"Besides the fact that it sucked," I mumbled.

Wynonna looked at me. "What's it like with Nicole?" She asked.  
I looked at her. "Eyes on the road." I told her, making a teasing face.  
She rolled her eyes again and looked back at the road. "Seriously, Wave. I mean, I've never done it- and I don't plan to- but is it at least good for you? Like do you enjoy yourself with Nicole?"  
I shrugged. "Of course I do," I told her.  
"C'mon, Waverly, details!"

I sighed, breaking out into a smile. I kind of did wanna talk to Wynonna about it... "Okay, fine," I gave in. Blushing, I turned towards Wynonna slightly. "It was crazy good, like "I've never felt anything so amazing before" good," I told her.  
"Really? You've never, like, masturbated or anything?"

"Okay, I have, but it was different with Nicole. Nicole just... she really knew what she was doing. Her fingers were just- wow. And her tongue! Don't even get me started on her tongue."  
Wynonna laughed quietly. "I won't. Did you... ya know? Go down on her?"  
"Yeah, but not for very long. It was actually really fun. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. I mean- not before I met her. Before I met her, I would've never pictured myself doing anything like that."

"Sounds like you really like lady parts," Wynonna joked.  
I laughed. "I kind of do, actually."  
"Really?"  
I nodded. "Yeah, it's so strange. I'd never thought about how gorgeous women were until I met Nicole. Like, girls are hot! I mean, Nicole is just... wow. She's amazing."  
Wynonna chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you're happy, Waves."  
I smiled. "Thank you... But ya know, sex isn't everything."  
"Since when?" Wynonna joked.  
"Since always. If you really love someone, sex should come last with everything. I'd rather Nicole treat me like I matter and comfort me than have sex with me. I mean... sex would be nice, too. But if you have everything else, it matters a lot less."  
Wynonna shrugged. "I don't really get any of that stuff. I mean, love and all that."  
I shrugged. "I don't think you're trying hard enough... Or, ya know, you're dating a _lot_ of dickheads."  
"Oh, come on, that was a given, sis."

We laughed as Wynonna pulled up to the Homestead. The front door was wide open.

"Shit," Wynonna cursed under her breath.

She parked and we both got out of the truck, walking up to the front door. We stepped inside and everything was trashed. I sighed as Wynonna started to walk around. She kicked a broken wooden chair over and shook her head.

"I knew Purgatory hated us, but I didn't think they hated us this much," Wynonna said.

I understood how she felt. I walked towards the stairs, wanting to look around upstairs. I went up, and walked into the room that used to be mine. It was different. None of my stuff was in there anymore. I mean, I'd taken most of it with me, but the rest was gone.

Wynonna walked in. "Daddy must've put the rest of your stuff in the barn," she told me.  
I nodded. "Yeah..."

The room was mostly empty now. We went back downstairs and finished looking around. Once we decided we'd seen enough, we left the house and locked the door on our way out. When we got in the truck, I saw that I had text messages from Nicole, so I responded to them.

 _ **NH: Where'd you go?  
NH: Are you okay?  
WE: I'm with Wynonna. We went to the Homestead to look around.  
NH: Oh, okay. It's just that you left without saying anything...  
WE: Yeah...  
NH: Is everything okay, baby?  
WE: I'll talk to you when we get back.  
NH: Um. Okay. Well, Gus said she's gonna give me a ride back to the house.  
WE: Why?  
NH: She doesn't us stuck at the hospital.  
WE: Okay. See you at the house, I guess.  
NH: I guess so...**_

I sighed, putting my phone in my pocket. "Ugh," I groaned.  
Wynonna glanced at me. "What's up?" She asked.  
"Nicole texted me. Gus is gonna drop her off at their house."  
"I thought you were okay with Nicole."  
"I never said that."  
"But when you told me about-"  
"That doesn't mean anything. Regardless of what I said, that doesn't mean things are okay." I rolled my eyes a bit, feeling frustrated. I didn't want to be mad at Nicole for not asking me before agreeing to signing up for the damn police academy, because Wynonna was right, it's not her fault. When you're presented with that kind of opportunity, you can't just say no. But part of me was feeling very selfish right now.  
Wynonna scoffed. "Well, alright, I guess."

After a while of driving, Wynonna pulled up to Gus and Curtis' house. She looked at me and pulled me over to her, giving me a kiss on my forehead.

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, baby girl," she told me.  
I nodded. "Bye, Wyn."

I got out of the truck and got my bag from the back. I grabbed Nicole's, too, and waved at Wynonna as I walked up to the front door. When I walked inside, the house was empty.

"Nicole?" I called out.  
"I'm upstairs!" Nicole called back.

I sighed and went up there. I walked into my room and dropped the bags on the floor. Nicole was sitting on my bed, looking at her phone. She looked up at me when I walked in and smiled a bit.

"What are you looking?" I asked her, closing the door and taking my jacket off as I walked over to sit next to her.  
"This," Nicole said. She handed me her phone and I looked at it as I settled myself on the bed.

It was a webpage for the police academy Sheriff Nedley was telling her about. It was... pretty far away.

"Oh... Was this where you wanted to go?" I asked her.  
She shrugged. "I was thinkin' about it," she responded. She looked at me. "Would you be okay if I did?"  
"I- um. Of- of course I'd be okay with it," I said. Though, I wasn't sure if I really was... I mean, I didn't have any plans to leave Purgatory any time soon. Mostly because I couldn't until I turned eighteen anyways. But Nicole could do whatever she wanted...  
"Waverly... I'm really asking you," Nicole said seriously.  
I looked up at her. "What do you want me to say? I already told you I'm okay with it." I snapped at her.  
Nicole flinched. "What's your problem?" She shot back.  
I tossed her phone onto the bed. "This. This is my problem. I told you I'm okay with it and you're acting like I'm lying to you. If you want to go there, then go. I'm not gonna stop you," I told her. "I already know that you're gonna sign up. I heard you tell Sheriff Nedley that you would."  
"You what?" Nicole asked, a look of disbelief on her face.  
"Yeah. I was going over to talk to you, and I overheard your conversation."  
"Why didn't you say anything?"  
"Because I was hurt."  
"Hurt?"  
"That you said yes without asking me first."  
"I couldn't just say no!" Nicole said, raising her voice.  
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me." I snapped at her, getting upset at the fact that she would even think of yelling at me. Tears welled up in my eyes.  
"Okay. I'm sorry, baby. I won't do it again," Nicole promised. Her expression had softened and I could tell she felt bad.  
"Don't." I said firmly, trying hard to keep the tears from escaping.  
Nicole nodded. "I won't."

We sat in silence for a little bit, and I wasn't sure what to say. I felt bad for snapping at her, but she really had hurt my feelings. After a while, Nicole spoke.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings... And I'm sorry that I did. I told Nedley that I would sign up because he went out of his way to send them a recommendation... I can't turn down an opportunity like this, Waves. It's the best academy in the state," Nicole told me.  
I looked at her. "I know... I'm sorry I snapped at you. It's just that..."  
"Your mom left you and now you're worried that I might do the same?" She asked.  
I looked away. Now that she mentioned it... "Yeah... Something like that," I muttered.  
"Baby, I love you and I always will. I'll come back. It won't be forever," Nicole swore. She brushed my hair behind my ear, running her fingers through it.  
I leaned into her touch, closing my eyes. "You promise?" I asked.  
Nicole kissed my neck tenderly. "I promise." She repeated, whispering in my ear.

I kept my eyes closed and felt her lips against my neck again. I turned my head and her nose brushed against mine. She kissed me and I put my hands on her waist. Nicole cupped my face and deepened the kiss. She parted her lips and I slipped my tongue into her mouth just a little bit. I moved my hands to the back of Nicole's neck and straddled her waist. Her hands moved to my waist and pulled away from our kiss and looked at each other.

I ran my fingers through her hair for a second, before caressing her cheek and running my thumb over her bottom lip. "I'm sorry, baby," I told her.  
Nicole ran her hands up and down my back. "Shh. Just kiss me," she whispered.

I nodded and kissed her passionately. Eagerly. I wanted this so badly that it was insane. Nicole kissed back and her hands were all over me, her soft lips pressing against mine. She ran her hands up and down my back and grabbed my ass, pulling me against her. I loved the feeling of her hands, even through my clothes. I ran my fingers through her hair again before running them down her neck and over her shoulders. I moved my hands a bit further down, feeling her chest. I grabbed at her boobs for I think the first time ever. I ran my hands back up her shoulders and dug my fingers into her hair again.

Nicole's hands slipped under my shirt, running up and down my back gently. I felt her drag her nails down my back and her tongue slipped into my mouth. My body was heating up, and my heart was pounding. Nicole's hands moved out of my shirt and moved to my front, feeling my chest and sides. She ran her hands over my breasts and curves, touching me very sensually, and I loved every second of it.

I pulled away and looked at Nicole, my breathing heavy and my heart racing. "Are you sure?"  
Nicole nodded. "I'm sure," she responded.  
"But last time... you- you said you were scared..." I let out a soft sigh as she began to kiss my neck again, her hands still massaging my body.  
Nicole stopped for a second. "I know what I said. I'm not scared anymore."

She went back to kissing my neck, before putting her hand on the back of my neck, and pulling me closer and pressing her lips against mine. The kisses were soft and tender. Loving. I focused on the feeling of her lips against mine, and the placement of her hands. One on my waist, the other on the back of my neck. I enjoyed the sweetness of the kisses, though I really wanted her to touch me in a different way, like she had been before. I moved my hands and grabbed her wrists. I guided her hands to my chest to tell her what I wanted. It took a moment before she responded and began to massage my boobs and body again. I moved my own hands to her body and started to do the same to her.

After a while, Nicole grabbed the hem of my shirt, lifting it up and breaking the kiss only to pull it over my head. She kissed me one more time and then kissed my neck. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, feeling her lips against my skin. Her kisses started travel downward, trailing to my chest. She peppered my collarbone with soft kisses before moving down lower and kissing my boobs. She took one my nipples into her mouth and sucked on it. I let out a quiet moan, lifting my head and opening my eyes to look at her, running my fingers through her hair. She bit down on my nipple very gently, grazing her teeth against it before swirling her tongue around it.

She pulled away and placed a few more kisses on the skin around the nipple before moving to the other one and doing the same. I bit my lip as she grazed her teeth against my nipple one more time.

She pulled away and looked at me. "Stand up, baby." She whispered, caressing my cheek.

I did as she said and got off of her, standing up. Nicole stood up and turned me around, wrapping her arms around my waist and pulling me against her. She brushed my hair over my left shoulder and leaned down to kiss my right. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back again and she brushed her lips against my shoulder and neck. She bit down slightly and then swiped the area she bit with her tongue. She trailed kisses up my neck, and then along part of my jaw. I let out a quiet sigh and grabbed her wrists, wanting her to touch me.

Nicole picked up on what I wanted and began to stroke and caress my bare skin. Nicole ran her hands over my breasts gently, occasionally teasing my nipples. I turned my head and she kissed me, her lips soft and plump as they pressed against mine. She broke the kiss and stepped back, sitting down on the bed and pulling me with her. I sat on her lap, and she kissed the back of my shoulder.

She ran her hands down my stomach and over my thighs. She caressed my inner thighs before rubbing my crotch through my jeans. The feeling was absolutely sensuous and arousing. I bit my lip, enjoying the feeling she was giving me. I felt her brush her nose against my back, and then her lips were pressing against my skin. Nicole continued to massage my center over my pants, driving me crazy. Eventually, she moved her hand away and unbuttoned my jeans, slipping her hand into them. She started rubbing me over my panties, and I let out a quiet moan. She bit down on my shoulder gently and I leaned my head back, loving all of the sensations I was feeling.

A few more kisses on my shoulder and then Nicole wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me off of her, laying me on the bed. I scooted back, getting comfortable against the pillows. I kicked my shoes off of my feet and Nicole helped me pull my pants off, tossing them to the floor. I reached over and grabbed her by the belt loops of her own jeans and pulled her closer, unbuttoning them. She pushed them down and pulled them off. She dropped them on the floor and climbed onto the bed.

Nicole laid next to me, running her hand up and down my side, and over my stomach and chest. "I love you," she told me.  
I smiled a bit. "I love you too," I replied.

Nicole placed a gentle kiss on the tip of my nose and I let out a quiet giggle before pulling her into a kiss. She smiled into the kiss and pulled me close to her. She ran her hands all over my body slowly and her touch was enough to drive me insane. Her hand slipped into my underwear as we kissed, and my breathing grew heavier.

I pulled away from the kiss as soon as I felt her hand move down further. I brought my knee up to give her more room and I felt her drag her fingers up my labia. She stopped at my clit and started to rub around in circles. My body tensed up, the sensations sending waves of pleasure through my body. I pulled Nicole closer and grazed my lips against hers as she began making the little circles faster. I gasped quietly as she teased me, and she bit my lip tenderly, pulling back slightly before releasing it. She pulled her hand away to push my underwear down, and I removed them completely before dropping them to the floor. Nicole's hand returned to where I wanted it, and she continued to tease me.

Her fingers slipped down further, dipping into the pooling wetness. She slipped her index and middle fingers inside easily. My body tensed up and I gasped quietly. She kissed me as she continued to slowly slip her fingers in and out of my vagina. With every slow thrust, Nicole went slightly deeper, curling her fingers a bit each time she went in. It felt different than last time. Better, somehow.

"Oh, my God," I breathed. I let out a few more quiet moans, biting my lower lip.

Nicole curled her fingers again, continuously hitting a sweet spot I had no idea even existed. I rolled over onto my back as she continued thrusting, gradually picking up speed. The faster she went, the more you could hear the quiet, wet sound. My back arched, my left arm around Nicole's shoulders. I gripped the blanket on my bed with my right hand, biting my lip. My breathing was heavy, my heart pounding.

I threw my head back as Nicole continued fingering me, all of the sensations I was feeling taking over. I couldn't even think. "Oh, wow. Nicole," I moaned.

Nicole's lips brushed against my neck, her hand continuing its work. She even began rubbing my clit with her thumb. The pleasure of her movements was building up, and I felt my muscles begin to tense up involuntarily. Inside, it felt almost like I had to pee. I moaned again, louder this time. I remembered that I should be quiet, so I moved my right hand to cover my mouth. My hips rocked, meeting each thrust.

Suddenly, I exploded. My body tensed up and then jerked as I came, and I let out a loud moan that was muffled by my hand. Nicole's hand slowed down, her fingers slipping in and out of me at a very, very slow pace.

I twitched a few times before Nicole pulled her fingers out and slid them up my pussy, lightly teasing my clit. My body convulsed again and she chuckled, removing her hand completely.

I looked at her, panting. "Oh, that was... wow," I told her.  
Nicole smirked. "I'm not done yet," she responded.  
I blushed. "You're not?" I asked lustfully, biting my lip.  
She shook her head. "Not even close."

Nicole kissed me before climbing on top of me. She kissed her way down my body, licking and feeling me up as she went. I squirmed a bit under her touch as she massaged my body. Her hands went around, underneath me a bit, and she ran her hands over my backside. She grabbed my butt and squeezed gently. I loved that she was sweet with me. It made me feel so loved and special.

She placed kisses all over my body, brushing her nose and lips against my skin teasingly. I let out a quiet moan of approval to let her know I was enjoying it. She got down to my stomach, kissing and nipping at the skin, and I felt like my heart was doing jumping jacks. The further she got, the more I excited I became, just waiting for the contact I knew was coming. She was taking her time, going agonizingly slow.

Nicole spread my legs before wrapping her arms around them and settling herself down on her stomach. She ran her finger up my slit lazily, teasing me. She removed her finger and used both hands to spread my labia apart. She blew air on my pussy and the feeling made me shiver a bit. She turned her head, pressing her lips to either side of my thighs. She stuck out her tongue and began dragging it along my inner thigh gently, driving me insane.

I whined impatiently and Nicole smiled. She was looking up at me, a mischievous yet lustful look in her eyes. "What do you want, baby?" She asked sweetly. She continued to tease me, and I whined again.  
"I- I want- I want you to make me come," I breathed. She continued teasing and I whined one more time. "Pleaaseee, Nicoleeee."  
Nicole chuckled. "Okay, okay."

She leaned forward and gave my slit a long and slow lick, stopping at my clit and beginning to make circles around it. I tried my best to keep quiet, but Nicole was so damn good at what she was doing. I whimpered, biting my lip to keep from getting too loud. I took Nicole's hand and interlocked our fingers, holding onto her hand. Her other hand ran up my stomach and began to massage one of my breasts.

I watched Nicole eat me out, loving the sight of it. "Oh, wow, you're so good at that, baby..." I whispered.

A slight smile pulled at the corner of Nicole's mouth as she continued to move her tongue around. She moved her hand from my boob and brought it down to her. She put two fingers in her mouth, licking them before rubbing around my entrance a few times. She slipped them in slowly and began thrusting, all the while licking and sucking on my clit. I held onto Nicole's hand tightly as I began to involuntarily rock my hips, leaning my head back and closing my eyes. I let out a moan, completely forgetting about the whole "being quiet" thing. I couldn't focus on anything, my mind was all over the place. I couldn't even form words at this point.

"Oh, my-" I moaned. "G- f- ohhh, shit."

I muttered a string of unintelligible things, my eyes squeezed shut. I didn't even know what I'd said to be completely honest, but next thing I knew, my body was convulsing. I let out a loud yelp as my body shook uncontrollably.

"Ohhh my goddd," I groaned.

Nicole pulled her fingers out of my vagina and pressed a kiss against my clit, causing me to twitch one last time. I let out a few breathless laughs and Nicole chuckled as she climbed back up to press her lips against mine.

 _Holy crap that was amazing..._

I kissed Nicole hard, pulling her so that her body was pressed against mine. I pulled away and looked at her, running my fingers through her hair.

"I love you so much, you have no idea..." I whispered, running my index finger along her bottom lip.  
Nicole tilted her head down slightly, pressing a soft kiss against my finger. "I think I _do_ have a pretty good idea..." She responded, smiling at me.  
My heart skipped a beat and I smiled widely. "Come here," I told her.

I moved so that she could lay down in my spot and then climbed on top of her once she was comfortable. We shared a passionate kiss before I began to tease her. I started by rubbing her over her underwear while we continued kissing. Just as I was about to slip my hand under the fabric, there was a knock on my bedroom door. We pulled away and looked at each other. I remembered that we forgot to lock the door so I jumped up and rushed toward the bathroom.

I grabbed my robe and threw it on. "Yeah?" I called out.  
"Waverly, what are you two doing in there?" Gus asked through the door.  
I looked over at Nicole who was quickly putting her jeans and shirt back on. I opened the door and looked at Gus. "Nothing. I was just about to take a shower. What's up? How's Willa?" I asked.  
"Willa's fine. Hurry up and take your shower. Your Uncle Curtis went to the store to get some things for me. You gonna help me make dinner tonight?" Gus asked me, looking at Nicole before looking at me.  
Nicole walked over. "I-I can help," she offered.  
Gus looked at her again. "You sure?" She asked.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah. Waverly can relax... She's been through a lot today," she said.  
Gus looked at Nicole and smiled. "She has. Well, alright. Curtis should be home soon. I'm gonna started getting things ready. Care to join me?"  
Nicole nodded, smiling. "Yeah. Just give me a second?" She asked.  
"Of course," Gus said. She turned around and left.

I sighed, closing the door. I looked at Nicole. "I'm so sorry," I told her.  
She shrugged. "It's okay. I'd love to help your Aunt Gus make dinner."  
"I know, but I never got to... you know." I winked at her.  
She laughed. "I know, but that's okay. We can do that later. Just go take your shower. I'll... wash my hands... and then go help Gus cook."

We walked into the bathroom together and Nicole washed her hands. I rested my head against her shoulder as she washed her hands. When she was done, she looked at me and gave me a kiss before she left the room and went downstairs.

I walked over to the shower and turned the water on. I looked at myself in the mirror as I waited for the water to heat up. I scanned my face, looking at my features closely. I especially looked at my eyes. Hazel. I closed them and shook my head slightly. I shouldn't have gotten so upset at Nicole. It's not her fault. I sighed and dropped my robe before getting into the shower and closing the curtain. I let the water go over me as I cleared my head.

 _I'll think about it later._

 **A/N: Hey guys... So this chapter took a really long time to write (particularly the sex). I tried to make things more descriptive and use better/different words for things. It ended up resulting in writers block and procrastination because I wasn't sure what exactly to write or if it was going to be good. I hope you guys liked it.**

 **Anyways, I have a question for all of you.**

 **I have a list of characters that could possibly be the person Willa killed while drunk driving. I want you guys to choose who you would rather have it be. The characters are:**

 **Pete York  
Kyle York  
Beth Gardner  
Tucker Gardner  
Champ Hardy  
Bethany  
Tiffany McKenna**

 **You guys can pick a character, and I'll see what happens.**

 **Thank you all for reading this story so far. I'm sorry if this chapter isn't as good or if it's rushed. I hope you all enjoyed it.**


	16. (Can't) Fix You Up

I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off. I pulled my robe back on and the wrapped my hair up in my towel. I let out a quiet sigh as I walked out of the bathroom and went to my closet to pick out some clothes to wear. I grabbed some undergarments first and put those on before letting my hair out of the towel. I finished drying it and then grabbed some clothes from my closet. I picked out a pair of leggings and a shirt that I'm pretty sure belongs to Nicole, and put them on. I walked over to my bag and pulled out my hairbrush. There was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in." I said, sitting down on my bed as I began brushing my hair.  
Gus walked in and looked at me. Her expression was... sad.  
I stopped brushing my hair and looked at her, worried. "What happened?" I asked.  
She walked over and sat next to me. "Um. Sheriff Nedley called. He told me who the victims were," she told me.  
"Victims?" I repeated. When we'd seen him earlier, he made it sound like there was only one of them...  
Gus nodded. "It was the Gardners."  
The Gardners? "The whole family?"  
She shook her head. "Just the parents."  
I sighed heavily and cleared my throat. "Oh. W-wow. That means... that Beth and Tucker are alone..."  
She nodded. "Yeah... Nedley called Mercedes. I think she'll be coming home soon."  
"Oh, wow. Mercedes is coming back to Purgatory... Wynonna's in for a surprise, then."  
Gus scoffed. "That's for damn sure," she said. She sighed and looked away. "Well, dinner's ready. Come on," she told me. She nudged me gently and I nodded.

I stood up and followed Gus out of the room. Partially down the hallway, Gus stopped and looked at me.

"Just letting you know. Nicole did a good job helpin'. That girl's a keeper," she muttered. She winked at me and then smiled.

I smiled in response and we continued walking downstairs. When we got down, Nicole was finishing setting the table. I smiled at her as she set down the last plate down and walked over to me. She smiled and gave me a kiss. After she pulled away, I looked at the table. The meal was simple. Spaghetti. No wonder it was so quick.

"Wow, you two did all this?" I asked, looking at Nicole.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah. I know it's not much," she said.  
I shook my head. "No, no, it's fine. It looks amazing," I told her.

Curtis walked in and gave Gus a kiss before sitting down at the table. The rest of us joined him and we all served ourselves some food. The food, of course, was amazing. We ate in silence, which I didn't mind. After the day we've all had, I would rather sit in silence. I just wanted to think about something other than the fact that my oldest sister killed two people while driving drunk. Nicole reached over at some point during dinner and took my hand under the table. She gave it a gentle squeeze and I smiled a bit.

When we were all done eating, I helped Gus wash the dishes.

"You're coming with me to see Beth and Tucker tomorrow, okay?" Gus told me.  
I sighed. "Okay," I agreed. I didn't want to, though. Tucker Gardner made me kind of uncomfortable. He was just... weird. I didn't know what it was about him... It kinda seemed like he had a crush on me.

I went upstairs with Nicole after finishing up the dishes and we sat on my bed. Nicole was quiet and I wasn't sure what to say. I felt bad about the Gardners. I couldn't believe Willa had been driving drunk. Actually, I could believe it. She's done it before, but she was never that drunk... I sighed and ran my hand through my hair.

Nicole put her hand on my shoulder. "You okay, baby?" She asked quietly.  
I nodded, leaning against her. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... I can't believe this is happening," I responded. I looked down at my hands as Nicole put her arm around my shoulders.  
She sighed and rubbed my shoulder in a comforting manner. "I know... It's so crazy."  
"I just- God, how could Willa be so careless? I mean, I know how Daddy can get. I was on the receiving end of his bullshit since I was four years old, but she was DRUNK. How could she be so... so... STUPID!" I finally exploded. I didn't realize that I'd yelled until I looked at Nicole. She was surprised. I sighed again for like the fifth time tonight, and shook my head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled."  
Nicole shrugged. "It's not like you were yelling at me... And you have a right to be upset with your sister."  
I shook my head again. "I- I don't. I mean, for all I know, Daddy could've been trying to hurt her or something..."  
"Well, yeah, he could've been. But that doesn't excuse Willa's actions. She was drunk and got into a vehicle. She chose to drive. She could've called the police if it was that bad," Nicole said. She spoke sternly, very serious about what she was saying. I knew she was right. Willa should have just called the police.  
"Yeah, you're right." I told her, shaking my head again and leaning my head against her.

I rested my head on her shoulder for a few seconds before lifting my head and kissing her cheek. She smiled and turned her head to look at me. She tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and caressed my cheek. She looked into my eyes and it was almost like I could see how much she loved me. Nicole wiped a tear away from my cheek with her thumb, and I sniffed, closing my eyes.

I chuckled quietly. "I'm sorry," I muttered.  
"Don't be," Nicole spoke gently. "Hey." I opened my eyes and looked at her. "It's okay to be upset. You can cry if you need to. I'm right here, baby." She told me, her eyes looking right into mine, and I knew she meant it.

Just knowing that made me burst into tears. Nicole immediately wrapped her arms around me and I buried my face into her shoulder, holding onto her as tightly as I could. Daddy was gone, Willa was in the hospital and probably going to prison. But it was nothing compared to what happened to the Gardners. It felt wrong for me to be sad. Like I shouldn't be allowed to cry. I sighed, shaking my head.

I pulled away from Nicole and wiped my tears away. "I shouldn't be crying," I grumbled. I knew what she was going to say: that I have every right to be upset. But it didn't feel like it.  
"Of course you should, Waves. You have every right to be upset right now. Just as much right as anyone else," Nicole told me.  
 _Called it._ I shook my head. "No, I don't. Look, can we just go to sleep?" I asked her. My tone sounded kind of snappy.  
Nicole sighed. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you want, Waverly."

She sounded upset... Was it because of me?

 _No, no. Don't think about it, Waverly. It's fine._

I got up and turned off the light before getting into bed with Nicole. Nicole turned over onto her side, her back facing me. The second she turned away, I knew that it was because of me. But instead making me sad, it pissed me off.

 _Fine. If she wants to act like that, well, two can play at that game._

I turned over as well, so that my back was facing hers. We were separated, not touching at all. After a while, it kind of started to feel like she wasn't even there, which made it hard to fall asleep. I'd gotten so used to cuddling with her. I closed my eyes and tried my best to fall asleep. I'm not sure when I finally managed to fall asleep, but when I woke up the next morning, Gus was standing next to my bed, and Nicole was gone.

I yawned and rubbed my eyes before looking at Gus. "Wh-where's Nicole?" I asked her.  
"She left. Said she was gonna go see if Nedley needed help at the Sheriff's Department," Gus answered. She sighed. "She seemed upset. There any reason for that?"  
I frowned. "Um. Maybe... We- we didn't really get into an argument... But I- I kinda snapped at her last night. I think she's avoiding me," I explained.  
Gus sat down on the edge of my bed and looked at me. "Yeah, she definitely might be," she responded. She stayed quiet for a minute and then spoke again. "You know, Waverly. I can't tell you what to do. It's your relationship, it's your life, it's your decision. But can I make a suggestion?"  
I nodded. "Yeah, sure. What is it?"  
"Apologize. As soon as you get the chance. Life is too short to let these little things affect your relationship. That's just my opinion, though. It's your choice. Now come on. We have to get to the Gardners' place. Get dressed." Gus stood up and left the room, leaving me to think about what she'd said.

I stood up and walked to my closet, thinking as I opened the door and began to pick out clothes to wear. I wasn't sure if I needed to apologize for anything, really. I mean, sure I was snappy with Nicole but is that really something to apologize for? I shook my head.

 _Just get dressed so you can go with Gus. No more thinking._

I picked up a pair of high-waisted jeans and a long sleeved shirt. I took my pajamas off and then pulled the jeans on before pulling the shirt over my head and slipping my arms into the sleeves. I tucked the shirt in and walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair. I left my hair down when I was finished brushing it and put a little bit of makeup on. I walked back into my room to put my shoes on and went back to the closet to grab a jacket. I looked at a jacket that belonged to Nicole and immediately grabbed it, slipping it on and sighing. It just seemed so much warmer than my own, simply because it was hers. I left my room and went downstairs, where Gus was waiting. She had a Tupperware container with cookies in it... A lot of cookies. She handed it to me before grabbing a bag that probably had more food in it.

"Well, come on. Let's get goin'," she told me.

I nodded and followed her out of the door. We got in her truck and buckled our seat belts. Gus started driving, and I stayed silent. I couldn't stop thinking about Nicole and what had happened last night. I felt so bad for snapping at her... She was just trying to be a good girlfriend and help me feel better. She wasn't just a good girlfriend for that. She was an amazing girlfriend.

And I didn't deserve her.

I turned my head slightly and sniffed the jacket. It smelled like her... I sighed and shook my head, looking forward again, not paying attention to Gus, who had been glancing at me. I closed my eyes, thoughts of last night flooding into my mind. But not the bad part. The good part. The very, _very_ good part. I opened my eyes again and sighed as I tried to stop thinking about it.

My cheeks heated up and Gus looked at me. "What're you thinkin' about?" She asked, turning back to look at the road.  
I shook my head. "N-nothing. Just... Nothing," I lied. I cleared my throat and looked out the window.  
"Is it Nicole?" Gus asked.  
I looked at her and she was grinning. The look on her face made me break out into a guilty smile. "Yeah..." I admitted. My smile faded. "I just- I miss her, you know? Even though I know I shouldn't... It is kinda my fault she left."  
Gus shook her head. "Oh, honey, don't you blame yourself for that. Believe me, you have a right to miss your sweetheart."  
My smile came back a bit. "Thanks, Gus."

Gus simply smiled back as we pulled up to the Gardners' house. She parked and we got out, holding the food in our hands. She walked up to the front door and knocked on it. I stood next to her, looking down a bit. Beth answered the door and smiled at us. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"Oh, hello, Mrs. McCready. Waverly," Beth greeted us. She sniffled, dabbing her tears with a tissue.  
"Hi, honey." Gus replied, smiling at her. She held her arm out and Beth stepped forward, giving Gus a hug.  
Beth moved away and I simply waved at her. "Hi, Beth." I said, smiling a bit.  
She nodded and stepped aside. "Come on in," she told us.

Gus walked in first and I trailed behind her, looking around. The house was pretty big and nice... It was very clean and well organized. Tucker stood in the doorway of the den, his arms crossed. He seemed angry at first, but his expression softened when he saw me. He immediately walked over as Beth led Gus to the kitchen. I guess Gus had planned to cook food for them.

"Waverly," he said.  
"Oh. H-hi, Tucker." I greeted, flashing a smile. I held up the container. "Gus made you and Beth some cookies."  
Tucker grabbed the container but didn't look at them. He kept his eyes on me. "Thank you," he told me. He stepped closer and I tensed up but stood still.  
"I-I'm sorry about your parents." I said quietly, looking up at him.  
He shrugged. "It's okay. I'm just glad you're here," he told me. He reached up and caressed a part of my hair. "You're so pretty, Waverly."  
I stepped back a bit, moving away so that he wasn't touching my hair anymore, and cleared my throat. "Tha-thanks, Tucker."  
Tucker looked at me and smiled a bit. "I wanna show you something. Will you come to my room?" He asked.

 _Say no. Say no, Waverly!_

"Um. Sure. Okay," I agreed.

Tucker smiled widely and turned around, leading me towards his bedroom. I frowned. I didn't want to be alone with him... I mean, it's not like he'd try anything... Especially not with my aunt and his sister here, but I didn't know that for sure...

Tucker opened his bedroom door and stood aside, waiting for me to enter the room first. I looked at him, flashing an awkward smile as I walked through the door and into his room. He followed me, thankfully leaving the door open.

I let out a sigh of relief and looked at Tucker. "So, what did you wanna show me?" I asked him.

Tucker walked over to his bed and knelt down, pulling out a box from underneath. He stood up and sat down on the bed. He opened the box and gestured for me to sit next to him. I walked over and sat down on his bed, my back straight, my hands in my lap. I sat a good distance away from him, not wanting to get any closer. I was afraid of sending him the wrong signals.

He handed me the box and I looked at it. It was... my school pictures... It looked like they were cut out from yearbooks. I began to look through them. Some of them were other pictures. One was from cheer practice. The group picture we took. Pictures of me with my friends... I felt kind of uncomfortable...

"Oh, wow. This... This is-" I shook my head. I didn't know what to say... I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but this was really creepy and weird.  
"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know how I felt about you," Tucker said. "Now that you and Champ aren't together anymore." He added, putting his hand on mine. He was completely calm and serious.  
I looked up. He didn't know about me and Nicole. I closed the box and looked at him. "Oh, Tucker, I-"  
He interrupted me. "You feel the same way, don't you?"  
I opened my mouth to respond but then closed it. I didn't know what to tell him. "Tucker, I- I have to focus on school right now... I don't really have time for a relationship." I was lying... But he didn't know that.  
"Sure you do. You were with Champ not too long ago," Tucker protested.  
"I- I know, but- School's almost over, Tucker. I really need to... ya know... buckle down."  
"I won't distract you. I promise."  
I shook my head, opening my mouth to speak again.

Beth walked in, interrupting. "Tucker- Oh. Am I interrupting?"  
I shook my head before Tucker could say anything. "Not at all," I told her.  
"Oh, okay. Well, the food is almost done, so you two should come to the kitchen." Beth told us, nodding before leaving the room.  
I looked at Tucker, a sad expression on my face. "Tucker, I'm really sorry... But I can't."  
Tucker sighed. "Will you at least go to prom with me? It's in a few months," he asked me.  
I looked down. Prom... I wanted to go to prom with Nicole... But we couldn't go together... Could we? "I-... I'll think about it. For sure. Okay?" I looked at him.  
He shrugged. "I guess so."  
"Come on. Let's go eat."

I looked at his... creepy box and stood up, slipping it back under his bed. I flashed a smile at him and grabbed the container of cookies from him. I walked out of the room before heading to the kitchen.

"Waverly, come help me with this." Gus said, finishing up what she was cooking.

I set the cookies down and walked over to her. She handed me some plates and told me to put them on the table. I walked into the dining room and over to the table, where Beth was sitting, and set the plates down in their places. Tucker walked over to the table slowly and sat down across from Beth. His eyes were on me and I tried to avoid eye contact. I walked back into the kitchen and stood next to Gus, helping her get the food together.

"Gus," I whispered.  
She looked at me. "What?" She asked.  
"Tucker asked me to go to prom with him," I told her. I was speaking quietly, worried that Tucker might hear and get upset.  
"Prom? That's months away," Gus responded. She was talking quietly as well.  
"I know," I replied.  
"What did you say?"  
"I- I told him I'd think about it."  
"You'd think about it? Waverly, what about Nicole?"  
"I can't go with Nicole."  
"Why not?"  
"They'd say something about it... The school, or the kids. I just- I'm not ready for that."  
"Since when have you cared what people think?" Gus asked me. She raised an eyebrow at me as she grabbed the casserole she'd made. "Grab that salad, will ya?"

I nodded and grabbed the bowl of salad and followed Gus into the dining room. She set the casserole down in the center of the table before taking the salad from me and setting it down beside it. She gestured for me to sit down before taking Tucker's plate and serving him. She set the plate back down in front of him and then went on to Beth. My phone went off in my pocket, and I pulled it out as Gus finished serving Beth's plate. Wynonna was calling me.

I stood up. "Um. Wynonna's calling me. I- I should take this," I said.  
Gus looked at me. "Well, do you want some-"  
I shook my head. "No, thank you."

I left the room and walked into an empty room. I answered the phone and sighed.

"Thank God, I was dying to get out of there," I said.  
 _ **"Where are you, anyway?"**_ Wynonna questioned.  
"Visiting Beth and Tucker Gardner."  
 _ **"Ugh, that sounds like a drag."**_  
"It is. What's up?"  
 _ **"Oh, I was just calling to ask if you'd come with me to visit Willa today, but clearly you're busy."**_  
"Oh, I'm not. I- I mean, I'd really rather be literally anywhere else."  
 _ **"Oh. Well, good. I'll come pick you up."**_  
"Thank you so so much, Wynonna."  
 _ **"No problem, but you've gotta tell Gus."**_

She hung up! I sighed. I walked back into the dining room and frowned.

"Ummm. So, Wynonna's on her way to get me," I told Gus. I flashed an apologetic smile at her.  
"For what?" Tucker asked, sounding upset.  
I looked at him. "Uh- um. She wants to go visit Willa... A-and she doesn't wanna go alone..." I admitted guiltily. She looked down sheepishly as Beth's eyes began to water.  
"You mean the girl who _killed_ our parents?" Beth asked, putting emphasis on the word "killed".  
I looked up at her. "I'm sorry about your parents, Beth... But Willa's still our sister." The sound of a car horn honking came from outside. I looked towards the front door and then back at Beth and Tucker. "I'm sorry... I really am."  
Gus sighed and shook her head. "Just go, Waverly."

I took that as a hint and nodded. I turned around and walked to the front door quickly, opening it and leaving the house. I closed the door behind me and ran to Wynonna's truck. I opened the passenger side door and hopped in, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Was it that bad?" Wynonna asked, an amused smirk on her face.  
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, now can we please go?" I asked her. I needed to get away from this house. It wasn't that I didn't like Beth and Tucker... It was just Tucker, really. The feeling of him staring at me constantly was very stifling and I really didn't want to sit through that any longer.  
Wynonna nodded and drove away from the house. She glanced at me, still making sure to keep an eye on the road. "Nicole's jacket?" She asked.  
I sighed again and nodded. "Yeah. It smells like her."  
"How cute," Wynonna commented. She made a fake gagging sound and I rolled my eyes one more time.  
"Wynonna, please, I'm really not in the mood."  
"What happened in there? You okay?" She sounded concerned.  
"Besides Tucker being a total creep? Not really."  
"Gross. What did he do?"  
"He has this box of pictures of me. Like pictures he cut out from the yearbook and stuff and like pictures of the cheerleaders and just- ugh. It was so weird... And then he tried to tell me that he liked me because I'm not with Champ anymore... And he wants me to go to prom with him."  
"That's on, like, a whole different level of stalker. You're not going to, though, right?"  
"I don't know... I can't exactly say no to him, can I?" I asked her. It seemed so rude to say no. Especially after my sister just killed his parents.

Wynonna made a turn, heading towards the hospital. "Of course you can say no, Waves. You don't have to do anything you don't wanna do." She told me, focusing on the road.  
I shrugged. "I just- I dunno. I feel kinda bad, ya know? Like, my sister just killed his parents, the least I can do is go to stupid prom with him."  
Wynonna shook her head. "That- Look, just because Willa made a mistake doesn't mean you have to make up for it. I mean, seriously. It was Willa, not you."  
"I know it was Willa, but-"  
"Baby girl, this is not something you can make right. Especially not you. This isn't your situation. And it definitely is not your fault."

She was right... I shouldn't be thinking like this. No one can make things right. Their parents are gone, and there's nothing we can do about it.

"Did Gus tell you that Mercedes is coming back?" I asked Wynonna as she came to a stoplight.  
She turned her head and looked at me, eyes wide. "Um. No?! Why didn't you tell me earlier?"  
I shrugged. "I thought you knew."  
"Well, I didn't!"

The light turned green and Wynonna started driving again. She shook her head slowly, sighing.

"God... Mercedes is gonna hate Willa." She grumbled, her eyes on the road, her hand gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned white.  
"More than Beth already does?" I muttered, looking out the window.  
"Probably not, but enough to where it might make things awkward between us."  
"You haven't seen Mercedes since graduation anyways, I think things are gonna be well past awkward for you two."

Wynonna pulled up into the hospital parking lot and drove around for a bit, looking for a parking space. Once she'd found one, she parked and looked at me.

"Look, you go inside, go sit with Willa. I'll be right there. Okay?" Wynonna asked.  
I nodded, though I really didn't want to go in there alone. I sighed and got out of the truck. "Don't be long. Alright?"  
Wynonna nodded and flashed a small smile at me. "Sure."

I closed the door and headed into the hospital.

 **A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! I was working on this chapter for wayy too long. Figured you guys had been waiting for long enough. Sorry for the slow updates, I have a lot going on. And by that, I mean a lot of writing :)**

 **Thanks for all the support, and also I liked that you guys were either picking Champ or Tucker, but I wanted it to be a surprise! I hope you guys liked this chapter!**

 **(Also the title of this part is a reference to a Tegan and Sara song called "Fix You Up". I put "(Can't)" at the beginning because the situation in the chapter is something that Waverly can't fix.)**


	17. What's Done Is Done

I sat down in the chair next to Willa's hospital bed, watching her sleep. She was asleep when I got there, so I figured I'd just let her sleep. I sighed, leaning back in the chair and ran a hand through my hair. I pulled out my phone and went on it, pulling up Nicole's contact. I stared at it for a bit, contemplating whether or not I should text her. Wynonna walked into the room and I took a deep breath, sitting up and locking my phone.

Wynonna looked at me. "Was she sleeping when you got here?" She asked me quietly.  
I nodded. "I didn't wanna wake her," I responded with a shrug.  
She nodded a bit, looking over at Willa. She sighed and looked back at me. "Why don't you go get something to eat? I'll sit here with her until she wakes up," she told me.  
"Okay," I muttered. I stood up and walked towards the door. She stopped me and kissed my cheek. I flashed a smile and walked out of the hospital room.

I looked around at all the people in the hospital. Some people were in wheelchairs, others were in their hospital gowns with IVs attached to their arms, some people were sitting in chairs. They all just seemed so sad. I shook my head and left the hospital. I didn't know where I was going exactly, but being in the hospital made me feel sick to my stomach. I wanted to get as far away from it as possible. I kept walking until I found myself going in the direction of the Homestead. I sighed as I wrapped my jacket around myself tighter, shivering from the cold.

I walked up to the house and up the steps onto the porch. I opened the front door and walked into wrecked living room. I picked up a chair and set it upright before sitting down.

* * *

"Nicole!" Sheriff Nedley called.  
I stood up, files in my hand, and walked into his office. "Yeah?" I responded.  
Nedley looked at me and held his hand out. "Give me those files and get outta here. You've done enough for today," he told me.  
I nodded and handed the files to him. "You sure? I can help out some more if you need it," I offered. I guess I sounded desperate because Nedley looked at me with concern.  
"Close the door and have a seat," he said.  
I sighed and did what he said, closing the door and sitting down in one of the chairs in front of his desk.  
"What's going on?" Nedley asked me, leaning back in his chair, his hands folded over his stomach.  
I swallowed and shook my head. "It's nothing, really. Just some personal issues," I said simply. I didn't want to tell him what it was about. I was really just trying to avoid Waverly.  
"That's fine. But whatever it is, don't avoid it. You'll never resolve any problems by avoiding them. Burying yourself in work is only gonna stress you out. Believe me, I know." His expression was soft and caring. He didn't ask me what the issue was. He didn't pry.  
I nodded. "Okay. Thanks, Sheriff."  
Nedley shrugged. "Sure. Now get outta here."

I nodded and stood up, turning towards the door. I opened it, about to walk out.

"Nicole," Nedley said.  
I turned around. "Yes, sir?" I asked.  
"You're gonna make a fine cop," he spoke softly.  
I smiled. "Thank you, Sheriff."

Nedley nodded and I left his office, closing the door behind me. I left the station and got into my car. I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket when I sat down and pulled it out. I had text messages and missed calls. All from Wynonna and Gus.

"What?" I whispered to myself.

 _ **Wyn: have you seen waverly?  
Wyn: nicole?  
Wyn: hello?**_

I didn't even look at the rest of the messages. I panicked and unlocked my phone, opening Wynonna's contact and pressing "call".

 _"Finally! Where the hell have you been?"_ Wynonna practically yelled at me when she answered.  
"I was at the Sheriff's Department filing papers for Nedley. What's going on?" I responded. I was beyond worried and panicking.  
 _"Waverly's missing!"_  
"Yeah, I got that, but what the hell happened?"  
 _"I don't know. I took her to the hospital to see Willa, but she was sleeping. I sent Waverly to get herself some food. She's been gone for hours, she's not even at the hospital anymore!"_  
"Have you tried calling her?" I asked.  
 _"What am I, stupid? Of course I tried calling her! She's not answering!"_  
"Okay, God! Calm down, just- let me try, alright?"  
 _"You really think she'll answer for you? She hasn't answered for me or Gus."_  
"I don't know, Wynonna! But I have to try. I'll drive around and see if I can find her."  
 _"Alright, whatever, just please let me know if you do find her."_  
"You know I will."

Wynonna hung up and I started the car, pulling out of my parking space. I started driving around town slowly, looking around for Waverly. I glanced at my phone, opening Waverly's contact and calling her. The phone rang a few times before going to voicemail.

 _"Hi! This is Waverly! Leave a message!"_ Her voice spoke sweetly.

There was a beep and then I froze.

"Uh- um. Wave, it's Nicole. Wynonna and Gus are looking for you. They're worried sick. Just- Call me back, alright, baby?" I hung up and then waited a few minutes before pulling over and texting her a few times.

 ** _NH: Waverly?  
NH: Baby?  
NH: Please tell me you're okay  
NH: Wynonna and Gus are worried about you.  
NH: Waves, where are you?_**

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I decided to try calling her again.

The phone rang a few more times before stopping. I waited for the recording of Waverly's voice, but it didn't play.

 _"Hello?"_ Waverly answered. Her voice was soft and sad.  
"Baby? Hey! Hey, are you okay? Where are you?" I asked her.  
 _"Is Wynonna with you?"_ She asked, avoiding my questions.  
"No. No, she's not. Where are you?"  
 _"The Homestead."_  
"I'm coming, okay? I'm coming to get you. Just stay there."  
 _"Don't bring Wynonna, please."_  
"Okay. Whatever you want, baby. I'll see you in a little while, alright?"  
 _"Alright."_

I hung up and called Wynonna almost immediately, putting my phone on speaker before starting to drive.

 _"Hey, did you find her? Is she okay?"_ Wynonna asked as soon as she answered.  
"Yeah, I did. She's fine," I responded. I began driving in the direction of the Homestead.  
 _"Well, where is she?"_  
"The Homestead. I'm going to get her right now."  
 _"I'm coming too."_  
"No, no. She wants me to go by myself."  
 _"Oh. Okay, well, make sure you get her home safe."_  
"I will."  
 _"I mean, Haught. If she gets hurt, I'll hurt you."_  
"I got it, Wynonna. You don't have to worry about it."  
 _"Let's hope that's true."_

She hung up and I rolled my eyes. I hope Wynonna doesn't blame me for this. I had no idea that Waverly was going to run away... I tried hold keep myself together as I got closer to the Homestead. I hope it's not because of me. When I pulled up to the house, I saw Waverly standing in the doorway. She had my jacket on, wrapped around herself tightly, her arms folded across her chest. She looked cold. I turned the engine off and got out of the car, rushing over to her.

"Waverly... Are you alright?" I asked.  
Waverly shook her head. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes were red and puffy. "I'm sorry, Nicole. I'm so sorry I was rude to you. You were just trying to help-"  
I pulled her into me, wrapping my arms around her tightly. "Oh, baby, please don't tell me that that's why you ran off... It's okay, really. Don't worry about it."  
She sobbed into my shoulder, wrapping her arms around me in response. She gripped my sweater, holding me close. "I'm sorry," she apologized again.  
I pulled back and held her face in my hands, gently caressing her cheek with my thumb. "Hey... You don't have to apologize."  
"I do. I was so mean to you."  
"I can handle it," I promised her. I leaned forward and tilted her face up before pressing my lips against hers.

Waverly kissed back immediately, pulling me closer. She pulled away and looked at me.

"Come inside. You've never been in here," she told me.  
I nodded and followed her inside the house. I looked around and frowned. "Um... What happened?" I asked her.  
"Oh, I don't know... My guess is someone came in after Ward left and trashed the place," she answered with a shrug.  
I looked at her. _Ward?_ She'd never called her dad by his name the whole time I'd known her... It was strange. Like she was changing. "Oh," was all I responded with.

Waverly shut the front door and took my hand. She pulled me toward the stairs and I flashed a smile at her. She smiled back and led me up the stairs. We walked over to the first door at the top of the stairs and she opened it, pulling me into the room. She released my hand and I walked further into the room as she closed the door behind us. I looked around the room. It was mostly empty but still had a bed. The bed was made neatly even though the room itself looked like it wasn't being used by anyone.

"This was my room. Before I went to live with Gus and Uncle Curtis," Waverly spoke behind me.  
I turned around and looked at her. "It's empty," I told her.  
She nodded. "Yeah. I took some of my stuff with me, but I think Ward put the rest of it in the barn or something." She sounded not sad but kind of numb about the situation. To be quite honest, I was pretty worried about her.  
"Hey, are you okay? You seem a little off," I said. I figured I would bring it up, just in case something was wrong. She was acting a bit strange.  
Waverly shrugged and flashed a small smile. "I-I'm fine, I guess. I just missed you." She said, stepping closer to me and slipping her hands into mine, interlocking our fingers.  
I smiled back at her. "I missed you too. I see that you're wearing my jacket," I pointed out.  
She nodded a bit. "Yeah. It smells like you."

I smiled a bit, flattered that she was wearing my coat because it smelled like me. I squeezed her hands gently before leaning down and kissing her nose. She let out a soft chuckle and leaned up, catching my lips with hers, kissing me. I kissed back, rubbing the back of Waverly's hand with my thumb. Eventually, she let go of my hands and cupped my face with her hands. My hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer to me. Her hands moved from my cheeks, down to my body. She slipped them into my jacket and gripped my shirt. She began to push me backwards a bit, probably towards the bed.

My knees hit the bed and I fell onto my back, Waverly falling with me. We pulled away from the kiss and looked at each other. She smiled her sweet, gorgeous smile and I couldn't help but smile back. I loved everything about her, but her smile was my favorite. Just the way she smiled lit up her entire face and you could tell that she was happy. I loved seeing her happy.

"I love you," I whispered. My eyes scanned her face. By this point, I'd practically memorized every tiny little detail of her features. She was absolutely perfect. I watched as her eyes lit up even more and her smile got a bit softer.  
"I love you too," she replied.

Our lips touched again and Waverly's hands went to push my jacket off of my shoulders. She pulled away and sat next to me on the bed, allowing me to take the jacket off completely. When it was off, I dropped it to the floor and adjusted myself on the bed so that my back was against the headboard of the bed. This bed was somewhat smaller than the bed Waverly had at Gus's place. Waverly took off the jacket she was wearing and climbed back onto the bed, straddling me and sitting on my lap.

"I never got to return the favor last night," she told me. She spoke softly, her voice sounding sweet and innocent.  
I blushed. "Oh," I responded. I remembered that she didn't... But I wasn't so sure I wanted to do it here. "You wanna do it here?" I asked, making sure this is what she wanted.  
"Why not? I mean, no one's gonna bother us," she said with a shrug.  
"True... But I mean-" I paused, not sure where I was going with that exactly.  
Waverly frowned. "Do you not want to?" She questioned.  
I shook my head immediately. "Oh, no, I- I want to. I really want to. I'm just- I'm not sure if we should do it here."  
"It's fine, baby. Just relax... I mean, the house is empty... We can be as loud as we want, and no one's gonna hear us or barge in on us." She kissed my cheek before gently brushing her nose against my jawline. She trailed kisses along my jaw and then trailed down to my neck. She kissed my neck with parted lips and bit down softly.  
I closed my eyes, leaning my head back to give her some more room. "I guess... we could do it here," I gave in.  
Waverly chuckled, pulling away from my neck and looking at me. "We absolutely can."

Waverly kissed me passionately, her hands tangled up in my hair as mine were running up and down her back. The kisses got increasingly desperate and before I knew it, Waverly was pulling my shirt off of me. She dropped it onto the floor and then got off of me.

"Lay on your back," Waverly told me.  
I nodded and did as she said, laying on my back. "What are you-" I was cut off by Waverly kissing me again. She was rough, yet gentle and I'm not gonna lie, it was sexy.

I tried to put my hands on her waist, but she grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head. Waverly caught my lower lip between her teeth and bit down slightly, pulling back before releasing it. I let out a quiet moan as Waverly began to grind her body against mine very slowly. Our lips reconnected and Waverly kept my arms pinned down.

She pulled away and leaned down, kissing my neck. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to relax as Waverly continued to kiss my neck, slowly making her way down. Her hands released my arms and she started to run them over my body, touching and feeling me. She sat up and I lifted my head, opening my eyes to look at her. I watched as she unbuttoned my jeans before leaning down to kiss my stomach. She trailed kisses up my body until she was kissing my chest, running her hands up and down my sides slowly. My breathing was heavy and my body was heating up with every touch of her hands and lips.

I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling of Waverly touching and kissing me. She made it back up to my neck and placed open-mouthed kisses just under my jawline. I felt her hand slip into my jeans and she started rubbing me through my underwear. My breath hitched and my body tensed up slightly. Waverly chuckled, her breath tickling me, and I laughed quietly in response. She opened her mouth and grazed her teeth against my skin, then kissed the same spot before pulling away from my neck and looking at me. She kissed me once, then pulled away again and looked at me as she slipped her hand into my underwear. I gasped at the direct contact her fingers were now making with my clit.

"Oh, wow," I breathed.

Waverly kissed me passionately and I moaned against her mouth as she started playing with me, faster and faster. She slowed down a bit and pulled away, looking at me. I whined, wanting her to go fast again.

"Faster," I told her. "Please?"  
Waverly looked at me, a very obvious glint of lust in her eyes. "You want me to go faster?" She asked innocently.  
I nodded. "Please," I begged her. My hands were in her hair now, pulling her into a kiss.

She kissed me while she rubbed up and down my pussy. After a few seconds, she stopped on my clit and began to rub in circles again. Slow circles at first with a little bit of pressure. I loved it. I rocked my hips against her hand, still kissing her. I opened my mouth and pulled away from the kiss, leaning my head back and letting out a loud moan.

"Ohh, my god. You're amazing," I breathed.

Waverly kissed my neck, her hand never stopping its movements. I closed my eyes and buried my face in Waverly's shoulder. The pleasure was building up, and I could feel myself getting closer.

"I'm close, Wave- fuck," I let out. In response, Waverly leaned her head up slightly and started to suck on the soft spot on my neck that she knew drove me crazy. "Oh, fuck me. Oh, my god- Waverly," I moaned. I threw my head back and let out a loud, final moan as I came.

Waverly let out a soft laugh as my body trembled from the pleasure. She removed her hand from my pants and pulled away from me. I let out a sigh, opening my eyes as I relaxed. I looked at her and smiled. She smiled back as she licked one of her fingers.

"What-" I laughed.  
Waverly chuckled. "What? You taste good," she told me.  
I blushed. "Do I?" I asked.  
She nodded. "You do. Sooo... How was it?"  
I shook my head, smiling at her. "It was amazing. As always."  
"Good." She sat up and looked at me seriously. "I have something to talk to you about."

The look she gave me was really worrying...

I sat up and nodded. "Okay... What's going on, baby?"  
Waverly's smile faded and she let out a small sigh. "Tucker Gardner asked me to prom," she spoke quietly.  
I froze, staring at her. I shrugged. "Okay? And?" I asked her.  
She looked guilty. "I... was thinking about saying yes," she answered.  
I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. Why the hell would she ever consider this? "Didn't you say that he makes you uncomfortable?" I asked her, not meaning to sound angry. It just... came out that way.  
"I- well, yeah, but-"  
"No! No, "but", Waverly. You don't go to prom with creepy guys who have crushes on you. Why would you even consider that?" I snapped at her.  
Tears welled up in Waverly's eyes. "Because, Nicole! It's the least I could do after my sister killed his parents!" She cried. My heart broke seeing her like this. She was so upset about this. I could tell it was practically tearing her up inside.  
I cupped Waverly's face in my hands and looked at her. "Waverly Earp, you listen to me," I said. My voice was stern, but I was so sad to see her upset. "This is not your issue. It's not your fault. You do not have to fix this. I will not allow you to submit to Tucker just because you feel guilty about what Willa did."

Waverly sighed, shaking her head. She looked down and shrugged. "I know... I know, I'm sorry. It- I just... I felt bad... And I mean, I didn't think we'd be able to go together," she muttered.  
I frowned. "Well, why not?" I asked her.  
She shrugged. "People would say things... I don't really wanna be judged during something like prom."  
I sighed. "Yeah... I guess you're right... But I don't want you going with Tucker," I told her.  
"Alright."

I opened my mouth to say something else, but was cut off by my phone ringing. Waverly picked it up and sighed.

"It's Wynonna," she told me.  
"Answer it. She's looking for you, anyways."

* * *

I answered it, pressing the phone to my ear. "Hello?"  
 _"Waves! Oh, thank God! Where are you two?"_ Wynonna asked, sounding relieved.  
"At the Homestead. I needed to talk to Nicole alone..." I responded.  
Wynonna snorted a bit. _"Yeah, okay. "Talk"... How was that talk? Did you two have a good time?"_ She asked teasingly.  
I broke out into a smile. "It was just a conversation, Wyn. Trust me."  
 _"Just a conversation... Sure. Look, why don't you two come back to Gus's place? We'll all sit down and have some dinner. Yeah?"_  
"Yeah. We'll be right there."  
 _"Alright, baby girl. See you when you get here."_  
"See ya."

I hung up and looked at Nicole. "Let's go, baby."  
She smiled and nodded. "Alright," she said.

We got up and Nicole put her shirt back on, buttoning her pants. I pulled my jacket on and handed Nicole hers. The whole way home, I thought about what Nicole had said. I couldn't fix what Willa did... No one could. What's done is done, and giving in to Tucker certainly wasn't going to make up for anything.

I just wish there were an easy way to tell him.

 **A/N: So sorry for the wait! Hope it was worth it... Also I apologize for the sudden point of view changes in the chapter, I wanted to try something different since Waverly was having a bit of a moment. I hope you guys enjoyed it though, maybe it was nice getting Nicole's view for once? Anyways, I will try harder to update more often. I'm so sorry you had to wait!**


	18. Definitely A Good Thing

"Waverly, come on! You're gonna be late for school!" Gus shouted from the bottom of the stairs.  
I rushed down the stairs, my bag thrown over my shoulder. "Sorry, Gus. I kind of overslept," I apologized.

I fixed my shirt and closed my coat, which was quiet big on me, but I didn't mind, and then started towards the door. I caught a glimpse out the window and frowned when I saw that Nicole's car wasn't there. She'd decided that it was best to move back into her grandma's house, since she's already eighteen, or at least sleep there. Gus told her that she had to come over for dinner every night and sleep over on weekends. I loved that Gus was so protective over her, because Nicole didn't have anyone to look after her. Not that she needed it, anyway. I mean, she is technically an adult.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Nicole pulled up outside. I smiled immediately and quickly opened the door.

"Bye, Aunt Gus!" I called out as I rushed out the front door.  
"Have a good day at school!" Gus called back.

I hurried to Nicole's car and climbed into the passenger side, wrapping my arms around her and kissing her cheek.

Nicole chuckled. "Good morning to you, too." She greeted, allowing me to pepper her cheek with kisses.  
I pulled away and smiled at her. "I missed you. It's been so long since I slept by myself. It felt weird without you there," I told her.  
She turned her head and gave me a kiss. When she pulled back, she frowned. "I'm sorry about that... I just- I didn't wanna get in the way of everything that's happening. Ya know? This is your family business, and I don't wanna intrude on it at all."  
I sighed, closing the car door and buckling my seat belt. "Baby, you're not intruding if we want you there," I promised her.  
She shrugged as she started driving. "You say that... And I know it's true, but it doesn't feel like it."

I didn't respond to Nicole because I didn't know what to say. I felt bad that she felt like she was intruding on us and everything that's been happening. I mean, I understand why she'd feel like that, but it sucked knowing that she did and that there's no way for me to make her feel better. When Nicole pulled into the student parking lot of the school, I looked over to the front and saw Tucker getting out of a car. I sighed, hoping that Tucker wouldn't see me and ask me about the whole prom thing. The driver got out of the car, and I could finally see who it was: Mercedes. She looked mad... Like she was upset with Tucker.

Nicole and I got out of her car and made our way towards the entrance of the school. The closer we got, the more I could hear Mercedes and Tucker's conversation.

"I already have to deal with the funeral expenses, Tucker, I don't wanna have to deal with your crap, too." Mercedes snapped at Tucker, her arms folded across her chest. She was very mad at him. I wonder what he did...  
"No one asked you to come back, you know. You don't even have to be here. And I shouldn't have to go to school," Tucker shot back. He was glaring at Mercedes like she'd just broken his favorite... whatever Tucker likes.  
"I had to come back. To take care of you and Beth, _and_ to pay for Mom and Dad's funeral. You are going to school, you little shit, so why don't you just take your ass inside and go to class!" Mercedes yelled.

The kids around us all stopped dead in their tracks and stared at them. Tucker looked around at the watching students and scoffed, rolling his eyes. He muttered something along the lines of "I hate you" and stormed off into the school. The surrounding kids stood for a few seconds before looking at each other and continuing to go wherever they were heading. I stayed close to Nicole as we kept walking towards the doors to go into the school.

"Waverly?" I heard Mercedes say.  
I turned around and looked at her. "Oh, hey, Mercedes. Long time, no see, huh?" I responded awkwardly.  
She walked over and nodded. "Uh, yeah. How is everything?" She asked me.  
"Oh, pretty good. I mean, besides everything that happened..."  
Mercedes nodded a bit. "Yeah. How is Willa, by the way?" She asked, seeming a bit... I don't wanna say bitchy, but...  
I frowned. "Oh, well- She's- she feels bad... I'm really sorry about your parents, Mercedes." I really meant that.  
Mercedes flashed a smile. "You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault. Have Wynonna give me a call, alright? I haven't seen her yet."  
I nodded. "I will."  
"It was good to see you."  
"You, too."

Mercedes gave me a hug before walking back to her car and getting into it. She drove away and I let out a sigh of relief. Nicole rubbed my back soothingly and gave me a quick kiss on my forehead. We walked into school together, but went our separate ways to go to our lockers. As I made my way towards mine, I saw Tucker standing there. He was waiting for me. Part of me wanted to just turn around and walk away, but I needed my books. I took a deep breath and kept walking. Tucker lit up like a very creepy Christmas tree when he saw me.

I approached him very awkwardly and flashed a small smile. "Um... Hi, Tucker," I greeted. I knew that it was better to be polite.  
Tucker smiled. "Hi, Waverly. Have you thought about prom?" He asked. Wow... _Straight to the point._  
I cleared my throat. "Yeah, I don't think-" I stopped myself. I needed to be straightforward. "I can't go with you," I said. I brushed past him and stood in front of my locker, beginning to put the combination in.  
Tucker's mood dropped immediately. "Why not?" He asked me.  
I didn't look up. I wanted to mention Nicole... But I was scared. Tucker just made me uncomfortable. "I just can't."

Tucker silently stormed off, and I could tell that he was angry without him even speaking. I just wasn't sure how to talk to him... It felt like everything I could think of to say would be too... I don't know... Rude, maybe? Whatever... Prom isn't for a few months anyway. I grabbed my books out of my locker and then closed it, turning around to walk down the hall. When I got to class, Nicole was already in her seat. I smiled when I saw her and made my way to my seat. When I sat down, I heard two girls, Destiny and Ashley, whispering behind me. I put my bag down and set my books on my desk. I looked forward, towards the front of the classroom.

"I heard that she's been messing around with that new girl... What's her name? Nicole?" I heard Destiny whisper behind me.  
"Waverly? Sleeping with a chick? No way," Ashley responded.  
"I swear. Champ Hardy said he caught them dancing all up on each other at a party."  
"I still can't believe Waverly dumped him. He's _so_ hot! He brought a calf to its knees in eight seconds flat!"

I rolled my eyes. Why can't they just mind their own business?

"She _must_ be a lesbian if she left a guy like that."  
I scoffed at that. _Or maybe I left him because he's a jackass..._  
"Right? I would never have dumped Champ. He's definitely one of a kind."  
 _That's it._ I turned around and looked right at the two girls behind me. "You weren't the ones dating him, so you wouldn't know the first thing about being with Champ. I dumped because he's a dick and he's bad at sex," I snapped.

Destiny and Ashley stared at me with wide eyes. I looked around and saw the whole class staring at me. That's when I realized that I totally said that at a very high volume.

"Waverly Earp," the teacher said. I turned around and looked at her. She seemed pretty pissed. "Do you have something you'd like to share with the class?" She asked me, arms crossed.  
I shook my head immediately. "No thank you, ma'am," I replied sheepishly.

The class chuckled and I lowered my head shyly. I can't believe I actually said that in front of everyone! _Way to go, Waverly._

The teacher began her lesson and I could see Nicole looking at me. I looked up and she gave me a confused look. I shook my head and shrugged. She sighed and turned her attention to the teacher. I sat through the rest of class, trying to focus on the lesson. I got most of it but was distracted by what had happened. By the end of it, I was ready to go home. Which was a bad thing because it was only first period. The teacher gave us the homework and then the bell rang and I was up immediately, shoving my things into my bag.

I wanted to get out of the damn classroom so badly that I'd completely forgotten to wait for Nicole.

"Waverly!" Nicole called after me.  
I stopped and turned around, waiting for her to catch up. "Sorry." I apologized once she was standing in front of me.  
"What happened in there?" She asked in a soft voice. She was always so sweet.  
I shook my head, leaning against the wall. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Nothing, just- The girls behind me were talking about me. I decided to say something... Guess I should've been a little... quieter about it." I explained to her, mumbling a bit in case said girls happened to walk by. I opened my eyes and looked up at her.

Her eyebrows were furrowed in that cute way they whenever she was concerned. I thought it was sweet."Well, what were they saying?" She asked.  
I shook my head. "It's nothing, don't worry about." I reassured her with a smile. I leaned in a bit closer. "I just really, really wanna ki-"

"Hey, Waverly!" A familiar voice interrupted in an extremely fake tone.  
I huffed and turned towards the voice. The girls from earlier were standing there. I plastered on a fake smile and looked at them both. "Hi!" I responded.  
Destiny smirked, looking between Nicole and me. "So, is it true?" She asked annoying.  
Nicole shook her head, clearly confused. "Is what true?" She responded.  
Ashley looked at her. "Is it true that you and Waverly are sleeping together?" She asked very pointedly. She was acting like she already knew the answer.  
I rolled my eyes. "Seriously, can you guys just-"  
"That's not a no," Destiny interrupted.  
"It's not a yes, either." Nicole snapped, glaring at Destiny.

I sighed. I can't believe this is happening right now... On top of everything going on, Nicole and I have to deal with this bullshit... Maybe I should just tell them. I mean, what do I have to lose, really? School's almost over. In a few months, Nicole and I will be out of this place and we'll never have to see any of these jerks ever again. Well, actually... I might. If I wanna stay in Purgatory. Which... I kinda do. Whatever.

"You really wanna know?" I asked Destiny and Ashley.

They both nodded eagerly. _Why do they wanna know so bad? Ugh. This is weird._

I rolled my eyes again. "Fine. Nicole and I are not _just_ sleeping with each other," I started. Aaaaand cue the gasps and wide eyes... "We're in a relationship. With each other."

Nicole looked at me, surprised, as I took her hand in mine and interlocked our fingers.

"Are you really?" Ashley asked, her face shocked.  
I nodded. "Yeah. We are," I responded.  
Destiny made a face, while Ashley smiled. "That's weird," Destiny commented.  
Ashley looked at her. "Really? I think it's cool. They're in love," she said.  
Destiny shook her head. "But they're both girls. It's weird. I'm gonna go talk to Champ. You can hang out with the lesbos." She scoffed before leaving.

Destiny left, leaving Ashley with us. I felt glad to have told them, and surprisingly, I didn't care about Destiny's reaction. What was one person? I mean, I am in love with Nicole... Why should I hide it?

Ashley flashed a smile. "I-I'm sorry about her. I think you guys are cute... And really, really brave," she told us.  
Nicole smiled and gave a nod. "Thanks," she replied.

Ashley waved and the walked away. I let out a sigh of relief once she was gone and looked up at Nicole with a huge smile.

"I can't believe I just did that," I told her. I really couldn't. But it's a good thing I did, right?  
Nicole chuckled. "I can't either... But I'm glad you did," she told me. She leaned in a kissed me right in front of everyone in the hallway.

 _Yep. Definitely a good thing._

A/N: Hey hey, everyone! Sorry for the shorter than usual chapter. This was kind of just a filler, but also I wanted to write something good to kinda give y'all a break from all the hell I was giving you the past few chapters lol. I hope you guys liked it! :)


	19. The Earp Sisters

At the end of the school day, Nicole and I walked out of the front of the school, holding hands. It felt so good to be holding hands with her in front of everyone, just letting everyone know that I was hers, and she was mine. I looked over at her to find her smiling at me, her gaze filled with love. I smiled back before resting my head on her shoulder as we walked. She let go of my hand and wrapped her arm around me. She kissed the top of my head as we continued to walk towards the student parking lot. People stared and whispered to each other, but we ignored them.

I just kept walking, my girlfriend's arm around me. Happy as I could've ever been. Until I saw him.

Tucker Gardner.

Walking right toward us.

I sighed and lifted my head. When we approached him, I shook my head. "What do you want, Tucker?" I asked, not really in the mood to deal with him.  
Tucker looked at Nicole and her arm around my shoulders, before looking at me. "So it's true. This is why you won't go to prom with me?" He asked, taking a step forward.  
"I'm sorry, okay? I really am. But I've been with Nicole for a while now," I apologized. I wasn't even sorry, though.  
Tucker shook his head. "You can't. It's wrong," he spoke.  
Nicole shook her head. She was getting mad. "I'll tell you what's wrong-" she started.  
"Nicole-" I cut her off. I looked at her. "Don't," I told her.  
Nicole huffed, looking at me. Her expression softened and she nodded. "Alright. But I'm not leaving you alone out here to talk to him," she whispered.  
I nodded, understanding. "I know, baby," I responded. I looked at Tucker. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened to your parents, but I am not going to prom with you."  
Tucker shook his head. "You're not going with her either. They wouldn't let two dykes go to prom," he replied. His expression was kind of scary, but his tone was oddly calm.  
Nicole took a step towards him. "Say that again, Tucker, I dare you-" she snapped.  
I grabbed her arm, keeping her from getting any closer. "Nicole. Just- Come on. Let's go." I told her, pulling her back.

Nicole huffed, rolling her eyes. I gestured for her to get in the car, which she did very hesitantly. She got into the driver's seat and waited for me. I looked at Tucker, shaking my head at him. I didn't have anything to say to him, really. It was just so upsetting that he'd act like this.

"You know, Tucker... I've been nothing but nice to you, and you can't even do that for me." I spoke, the anger evident in my tone of voice.  
Tucker shook his head at me. "I am being nice. I'm telling you that what you're doing is wrong. You can change. Be with me instead. Don't let her influence you anymore," he replied. He was dead serious. That made me even more angry.  
"Influence me? What are you talking about?" I snapped, raising my voice. I didn't care if people heard me. He was being so ignorant.  
"There's no way you're a lesbian, Waverly. You can't be." Tucker said, his voice hard now, as if he thought I would listen to him that way.  
I shook my head at him again. "Maybe I am. You don't know how I feel, Tucker. Just leave me alone." I said, though the last part was louder.

I didn't think I was a lesbian. I still found men attractive, but I didn't want to be with a man. I wanted to be with Nicole. With Champ, I didn't know what I wanted. But I didn't want to be with him that way. And now, all I can think about is being with Nicole. I don't wanna be with anyone else.

I turned around, walking away from Tucker. I got into Nicole's car and sighed heavily. Nicole took my hand and held it. I turned my head to look at her and smiled. She smiled back before releasing my hand and starting the car. Tucker had walked away, and I was kind of relieved. Nicole started driving after we had buckled our seat belts. Her hand found its way back into mine at some point during the drive, and I was kind of- no, not even kind of. I _was_ really happy. Happy that we didn't have to hide our relationship.

"Baby," I spoke, turning my head to look at Nicole.  
Nicole nodded, turning her head towards me slightly, but keeping her eyes on the road. "Yeah?" She asked.  
"I'm really sorry," I told her. And I really meant it. I mean, I know I didn't have to apologize, mostly because it wasn't exactly my fault, but I still felt the need to.  
"About Tucker? Waverly, you don't need to apologize for him," Nicole responded. Her expression was concerned. Like she was worried about why I'd apologized for Tucker.  
But that was the thing. I hadn't apologized for him. "I'm not. Believe me. I'm just- I guess I'm just sorry that you have to deal with him."  
She shook her head. "I'm not dealing with him. He needs to stay away from you from now on. If he doesn't, I might end up getting expelled."

I knew she was being serious, because Nicole would never joke about something like that.

"He's not gonna listen," I protested.  
Nicole sighed and pulled over to the side of the road. She put the car in park and looked at me. "Waverly, seriously? Are we really doing this?" She asked, pulling her hand away.  
I frowned at the loss of contact. "Doing what?" I asked. I had no idea what was going on anymore.  
"You need to stop trying to avoid conflict with Tucker. We need to tell him to leave you alone, and if he doesn't listen, they we can go to the principal. If that doesn't work, maybe go to Sheriff Nedley," Nicole told me.  
I shook my head. "No. No, absolutely not. You don't know the Gardners like I do. Okay? They're rich, Nicole. They donate a shit ton of money to the town. There's no way Nedley'll do anything to Tucker. He's not exactly doing anything illegal, just being a creep. And a dick." I told her, looking right at her. My expression was serious, and my tone was, too. I just didn't want her to get herself into something she couldn't fix. Messing with the Gardners could ruin her chances of working at the Sheriff's Department, and I didn't want that. "Just promise me you won't go to Nedley. No matter what." I added, just for good measure.  
Nicole sighed. "You can't expect me to just sit back and let him stalk you, Waverly. I mean, honestly." She responded, looking at me and shaking her head slightly.  
I frowned again. "No, I didn't say that- Nicole."

She took the car out of park and started driving again.

"Nicole. Please, will you just stop the car and talk to me?" I asked her.  
"I've already said what I needed to say. What else do you want from me?" She seemed mad.  
"That's it. Stop the car." I snapped, looking at her very seriously.

Nicole glanced at me, saw my expression, and sighed. She turned down a dirt road that goes off into a field no one ever goes to. When we got to the field, she stopped the car and turned it off. She didn't look at me, but I knew she that she knew she'd made me upset.

"What the hell is your problem?" I asked her. My tone was still snappy, and I intended for it to stay that way until Nicole stopped whatever she was doing.  
Nicole shook her head. "Tucker is my problem. Why-" She stopped and looked at me. Either she didn't know what to say, or she just didn't want to say it.  
"Why what, Nicole?" I asked, looking at her expectantly.  
"Why does he have to obsessed with you? I mean, I kind of get it. You're absolutely amazing and the most beautiful girl in Purgatory, but why can't he be creepy about someone else?" Nicole asked, looking away.

 _The most beautiful girl in Purgatory._

She really thought that? "You really think that?" I asked her, out loud.  
Nicole looked at me. "Think what?" She asked back, seeming to have lost her train of thought.  
"That I'm-" I started.  
"The most beautiful girl in Purgatory? Of course I do. Because you are," she finished for me.

I smiled at her. God, I can't stay mad at her. Ever.

"I can't stay mad at you. You're just too sweet to me," I told her.

Nicole smiled and I leaned in, kissing her. She kissed back immediately, and I pulled her closer. We unbuckled our seat belts and deepened the kiss. I almost climbed into the driver's seat and straddled her, but we were interrupted by the sound of my phone ringing.

I pulled away from the kiss and groaned. "Sorry," I told Nicole.

Nicole shrugged. "Hey, it's fine, baby. Who is it?" She asked, smiling at me.  
I checked. "Oh, it's Wynonna." I answered it, pressing the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I spoke, not sure why Wynonna was calling me.  
 _"Are you home? I'm outside,"_ Wynonna responded.  
"No? Why are you outside?" I asked, confused.  
 _"Where are you?"_ She asked, ignoring my question.  
"I'm out with Nicole," I answered. "You didn't answer my question."  
 _"Mercedes wants to go for lunch. I just wanted to see if you would come with me. But since you're with your girlfriend-"_  
"What? No. Of course I'll go."  
 _"Well, we kind of have to meet her at the diner, like, now."_  
"Now? Like, _now_ now?"  
 _"Yes, now now. What are you and Nicole doing anyways?"_  
"We were just talking. I've been having issues with Tucker Gardner."  
 _"Issues meaning?"_  
"Meaning he's a stalker and it's pissing Nicole off."  
 _"Of course. Well, meet me at the diner, okay, baby girl?"_  
"Alright. See you in a bit."  
 _"Alright. Bye, Waves."_  
"Bye."

Nicole looked at me. "Where to?" She asked. I hadn't even said anything.  
I frowned. "The diner. I'm so sorry, Wynonna wants me to go to lunch with her and Mercedes," I explained.  
"It's fine, baby. I'll drop you off." Nicole responded, an understanding look on her face. She gave me one more kiss before starting the car.

When we pulled up to the diner, I could see Wynonna sitting at a table with Mercedes through the window. I was not prepared for this at all.. Especially not since I just rejected Mercedes' little brother not too long ago... God, I hope she's not mad.

Nicole parked in front and looked over at me. "You okay, baby?" She asked.  
I looked at her and nodded, though I wasn't sure if I meant it. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just- kind of nervous... Mercedes is Tucker's older sister, remember?" I replied, cringing when I mentioned Tucker.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, I remember. But from the looks of it, she's doesn't care for his bullshit either. Just be cool about it. Okay?" She told me, leaning forward and kissing my cheek.  
I smiled a bit. "You're right. I will. Thank you," I responded. I kissed her lips and then pulled away, looking at her. "I love you."  
"And I love you. Have fun," she replied.

I smiled before getting out of the car. I grabbed my bag and brought it with me as I walked towards the diner. I walked inside and headed over to the table where Mercedes and Wynonna were sitting.

Wynonna perked up when she saw me. "Hey! Waves!" She greeted. She stood up and hugged me, which was very weird for her. "Thank God you're here," she whispered in my ear.  
 _Ah. The hug makes sense now._ "You're welcome," I whispered back. We separated and Wynonna sat back down in the booth, sliding to the end so that I could take a seat next to her. "Hey, Mercedes." I greeted as I sat down and scooted close to Wynonna.  
Mercedes smiled. "Hi, Waverly," she replied. She took a sip of her coffee, before reaching into her jacket pocket and pulling out a small bottle of liquor. She showed it to us and then opened it, pouring some into her coffee. "Being sober is shit, am I right?" She asked with a laugh.  
Wynonna chuckled. "I hear ya. You gonna share?" She responded. She sounded like she was joking, but she was completely serious.  
Mercedes laughed. "With you? Are you serious?" She asked. She passed the bottle over to Wynonna, who poured some into her Coke, and then took a swig straight out of the bottle.  
"Ooh. That's some good shit," Wynonna commented. She handed the bottle back to Mercedes.  
Mercedes was smiling. "Right?" She replied. She directed her attention to me and cleared her throat. "So, Waverly. I talked to Tucker after school today," she spoke.

When she mentioned Tucker's name, I immediately got nervous. Of course she talked to him. He must've been whining to her about what happened. I didn't even know what to say. Thankfully, the waiter walked over before I could respond to Mercedes.

"Would you like something to drink?" The waiter asked me.  
I nodded. "Yeah, can I get a sweet tea, please?" I asked.  
He nodded and wrote it down. "Anything to eat?" He asked the three of us.

Mercedes ordered first. Wynonna didn't order until after I had. The waiter wrote everything down and then let us know that it would be out soon. He walked away and I looked at Mercedes very reluctantly.

"You said you talked to Tucker?" I asked her.  
Mercedes nodded. "Yeah. He was upset with you," she responded.  
"What?" Wynonna asked. She looked at me. "Why?" She questioned.  
I sighed. "I told him I can't go to prom with him because I'm dating Nicole," I explained.  
Mercedes nodded. "He said that it's not fair and that it's wrong. Saying that you shouldn't be with Nicole because it's not right."  
Wynonna looked at Mercedes. "He said that?" She asked.  
Mercedes nodded. "Yeah. He did," she replied.  
Wynonna raised an eyebrow, narrowing her eyes at Mercedes. She was clearly... well- I don't know what she was. "And do you agree with him?" She asked. I knew what answer she was waiting for.  
Mercedes shook her head. "Hell no. Who Waverly loves is nobody's business but her own. And if she wants to be with this... Nicole, then I say she should be allowed to." She answered, a genuine expression on her face. She was being completely serious.

I smiled and opened my mouth to speak. I was stopped by the waiter, who was bringing my drink. He set it on the table and apologized for the wait before walking away again.

Mercedes looked at me. "Look, I don't agree with Tucker, and frankly, I'm glad you turned him down. He's a total creep, even if he is my little brother," she admitted.  
I nodded. "Have you seen his box?" I asked her quietly.  
Mercedes shook her head. "No. What box?" She asked.  
I took a deep breath. "This box full of pictures of me. He keeps it under his bed. He showed it to me, and it was seriously-"  
"High on the disturb-o-meter?" Wynonna asked, interrupting me.  
I looked at her. "Well- yeah, exactly."  
Mercedes sighed. "Wow, that's weird." She muttered, taking a drink of her coffee.

Wynonna and I both nodded and sat in silence. We didn't speak for about ten more minutes and then the waiter brought us our food. We started eating and Wynonna seemed to feel somewhat more comfortable. It was probably the booze.

"So, Mercedes... How's the funeral planning going?" Wynonna asked softly. She was really kind about the question, careful that she didn't upset Mercedes in any way.  
Mercedes simply rolled her eyes. "Horrible. I hate it. So much to do... And I have to deal with Beth and Tucker. Perks of being the eldest, I guess?" She replied, clearly very bitter about the situation.  
Wynonna shrugged and let out an awkward chuckle. "Well, I wouldn't know... I'm not the eldest," she spoke.  
Mercedes nodded slowly. "Yeah, how is Willa by the way?"  
I shrugged. "Oh, you know... She's fine, I guess."  
"She's in the hospital." Wynonna added, looking away from Mercedes. "I just- I still can't believe she was stupid enough to-"  
"Wynonna-" I snapped. She looked at me. I shook my head. "Don't. Okay?"  
Wynonna nodded. "Yeah. Sorry." She rolled her eyes, looking away and directing her attention back to her food. She looked up at Mercedes and sighed. "I'm sorry that she, ya know... killed your parents..."

Mercedes didn't respond, she just eyed Wynonna for a few seconds. She knew Wynonna well enough to understand when she was at least attempting to be sincere. Understanding other people's emotions and speaking accordingly wasn't exactly Wynonna's strong suit. It wasn't her fault, she just didn't know how to talk to people. I couldn't really blame her for that, seeing as how she'd spent her teenage years in and out of juvie. She wasn't a bad person, she just made the wrong choices. Willa did too, but we're not gonna get into that.

Lunch went by agonizingly slow and the rest of the time was filled with awkward silence and on and off conversations about random things. When it was finally over, we said our goodbyes and watched Mercedes leave before getting into Wynonna's truck.

I looked at Wynonna once we were both in the truck. "You're not gettin' any better, hon." I told her, putting my hand on hers.  
Wynonna responded by taking my hand into hers and interlocking our fingers. "I know, baby girl. I know. I don't know why I said that to her. I feel like shit for it." She replied, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the seat on the driver's side.

With anyone else, I'd be concerned about them driving, but Wynonna's developed such a tolerance for alcohol that it barely affects her driving unless she gets completely shitfaced. Which, she was not.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure she knew what you meant." I promised, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze before rubbing the back of her hand with my thumb.  
Wynonna shook her head, opening her eyes and looking at me. "I shouldn't have said it. I didn't mean for it to sound... insensitive... That's just- I don't know."  
"Hey. Mercedes has known you her whole life. She knows you well enough to know that you didn't mean it like that. You mean well, Wynonna. Even though you do sound insensitive sometimes. Anyone who knows you- and I mean really _knows_ you- would know that you're trying to be nice."

Wynonna looked at me and gave me a sad smile. I knew she was silently thanking me, and she didn't have to say it out loud. She held up her free hand and gestured for me to come closer. I leaned close to her, hugging her arm and resting my head against her shoulder. Wynonna made me feel safe, just like Nicole did. There was just something about the both of them... I trusted them both, with all my heart... I knew they would never hurt me, and that gave me so much comfort.

"Waves," Wynonna said.  
"Yeah?" I responded, not moving.  
"Thank you."  
"For what?"  
"For believing in me... You make me feel like I'm not what everyone says. Like I'm not the town pariah who's committed social suicide more times than anyone can count. Thank you for making me feel like I'm not a fuck up."  
Tears welled up in my eyes. "You're not a fuck up. You're my big sister."  
Wynonna sniffed and I knew she was crying too. "See what I mean? You're the best, baby girl."

I felt her lips press against my forehead and then her cheek was pressing against the top of my head. I hadn't felt this complete away from Nicole, but I was complete in a different way. Wynonna was just as important to me as Nicole was. I don't know what I'd do without them. Wynonna was so much more than just my sister... She was part of me.

A part I can never do without.

 **A/N: Hey, everyone. So sorry for the wait! I hope you like this chapter. It's not exactly Wayhaught all the way through, but I figured you all wouldn't be opposed to an sweet Earp sis moment. I know I'm not the best at updating, but thank you so much for reading. I really appreciate it.**


	20. All I Got

After that weird lunch date with Wynonna and Mercedes, things seemed to be looking up. I mean, besides the whole _Tucker_ situation. I was very openly dating Nicole, which got some weird looks from a few students and most of the faculty members, but I didn't care. I was happy. Genuinely happy. Which, I'd never realized I wasn't until I met her. It's so weird. My whole life seemed to be so amazing before. I thought I had it all, and then I met her. She was so much different than everything I'd been used to, but it was a good different. From the moment I met her, my life had changed for the better. And I was okay with it. My plans were the same, yet different than before.

They had to be different. I mean, I'm in a committed relationship that I want to last. I knew there were some changes that needed to be made, but I wasn't sure what they were yet. Maybe I would stay in Purgatory while Nicole went to the city for the police academy. It was quite a distance, but I could get my own car and visit whenever we had time. Maybe even convince Gus and Curtis to let me spend the night every once in a while? All this was some time away, but it still made me feel better to at least think about it. What can I say? I'm a planner!

I walked out of one of the few classes I didn't have with Nicole, about to head to my locker as I thought about this. When I was walking the halls of Purgatory High, I felt like I was the only one who actually cared about my future. Like it wasn't something these small-town kids thought about. I mean, I'm a small-town kid, too, but I at least had some semblance of a future. These kids seemed like they were only interested in drinking, partying, and having sex. Like they wouldn't have enough of that in college.

 _"Waverly Earp, please report to the principal's office. Waverly Earp, please report to the principal's office."_

I froze, looking up at the speaker that those words had just come out of. I was being called to the principal's office?

 _But... why?_

I sighed, turning around to head back ignoring the kids in the hallways, who were "ooh-ing" as I passed them. _What is this? Third grade? Ugh._

I arrived at the office and the receptionist lady- whose name I do not remember- and she looked at me with a confused expression.

"Waverly Earp?" She asked, seemingly just as confused as I was.  
I nodded. "Yeah," I replied.

All she did was nod towards the door that read "PRINCIPAL" and then look away. I looked at the door and swallowed nervously. I'd never been called to the principal's office before. That's what happened when you got in trouble. I don't get in trouble!

I sighed and walked over to the door, taking a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in," Mrs. Montgomery called out, her voice muffled through the door.

I hesitantly put my hand on the doorknob and turned it, pushing the door open slowly. I poked my head into the room and gave a nervous smile.

"You wanted to see me, Principal Montgomery?" I asked, my voice a little more shaky than I'd intended.  
The woman looked up from her desk and smiled. "Yes. Have a seat, Miss Earp." She told me, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of her desk.

I nodded, pushing the door further open, stepping into the room. I closed the door behind me and walked to sit down in the chair. I took my bag off of my shoulder and set it down on the floor in front of my feet.

"What did you wanna see me about?" I asked, starting to feel a bit queasy. I just wanted to know if I was in trouble, really. I mean, I knew I shouldn't be because I never did anything wrong, but that didn't stop me from being nervous.  
Mrs. Montgomery looked at me. "I wanted to talk to you about your future," she stated.  
 _Oh. That's it?_ I blinked, too confused to be relieved. "Oh. Okay. What-... what about it?" I asked. I had everything all planned out. Well- _mostly_ planned out. The only problem was that I now needed to adjust to fit my relationship with Nicole into the equation.

"Just thought we should make sure you have everything planned out and on track. You're the best student this school has ever had, and I'll be damned if you throw it all away. I heard about your relationship with Nicole Haught, and frankly, I wonder if it will affect your plans for the future." She spoke, her hands now folded on her desk. She looked at me with a smile, but I could see how serious she was in her eyes.

I swallowed anxiously, unsure of what to say. "Uh- Well. I wasn't really thinking about changing my plans. I'm sure they're going to be staying the same for the most part," I said. I didn't know how my plans would change exactly- that was something I needed to discuss with Nicole- but I had a feeling they wouldn't really change at all.  
Mrs. Montgomery nodded a bit. "Of course, I understand completely. It's just that... Well, Waverly... Are you planning on staying in Purgatory?" She questioned, the seriousness in her eyes shifting to concern.  
I was. But her tone made me question whether or not I should... "I mean, yeah. That was always the plan," I replied with a shrug.  
"I don't think you should... This town... it's only going to hold you back. I just feel like you would have a much easier time outside of Purgatory."

Ah. I think I understand now.

"Somewhere without Earps... Where no one knows my family?" I asked.

I knew that's what she was getting at. It was actually kind of obvious. I knew that everyone in Purgatory was hesitant to trust me because of my dad and sisters. I mean, I'm the nicest person in Purgatory, but do you have any idea how long it took me for people to stop comparing me to Willa and Wynonna?

Short answer: a long ass time.

Mrs. Montgomery sighed. "I'm sorry. I know how annoying it must be to be equated to Wynonna, but-"  
I shook my head. "That's not even close to what I was thinking. No, what's annoying is that everyone loves to remind me who my sister is, and then apologize, thinking it upset me. My sister is not as bad as you think," I snapped without even realizing it.

I could be a bit defensive when it came to Wynonna. The look on Mrs. Montgomery's face was the only indication I got that I'd done something wrong.

I frowned, realizing what had just happened. "I'm so sorry, Principal Montgomery. I- I didn't mean- I just- I-" I decided to quit while I wasn't ahead, and closed my mouth. I blinked, looking at her apologetically. "I'm sorry," I repeated.  
Mrs. Montgomery eyed me for a few seconds before speaking. "Well. I didn't know you had that in you, Waverly. I don't appreciate it, but I'm impressed." She said, her expression shifting to one that reflected her words.  
I swallowed and cleared my throat. "I-I'm sorry? You- You're what?"  
"Impressed."

Why was she impressed? I just snapped at her... And she's the principal!

"All due respect, Principal Montgomery, but... Why are you impressed?" I asked, confused.  
Mrs. Montgomery shrugged. "There was always one thing I admired about your sisters. Their backbones. Wynonna knew how people thought of her and didn't care," she told me.  
I scoffed. "Actually, she cares plenty," I corrected.  
"She's damn good at hiding it. The point is... Waverly, you can't spend your life letting people tell you who you are; what you should do. It's your life. So what's your plan for the future? What do you want?" Principal Montgomery leaned back in her seat, looking at me expectantly.

Watching her sit there like that made me realize that I really didn't know what my plan was. I was dumbfounded. What did I want?

"I- Well... To be honest with you, Principal Montgomery... I don't really know," I said. I shook my head a bit, shrugging. "I don't know what my plans are. The only thing I'm 100% sure about is Nicole. I love her, and I don't wanna let that go." I told her, speaking honestly, though I knew it wasn't what she asked.  
Even so, she seemed to be touched by my honesty. "That's lovely, and I understand completely. The problem is, Waverly, that love doesn't pay the bills. I know that what you're feeling feels like the most important thing in the world. But honey, you need a legitimate plan." She spoke in a tone that seemed patronizing, and it should've felt that way. It would've if she were wrong.

I sighed. I stayed silent for a few minutes, unsure of what to say next.

"I want to study ancient cultures and languages. I want to do it online," I spoke. I looked down for a second. "I want to stay with Nicole, but I know she has to go to the city. I don't want our relationship to end, so maybe we can do a long distance thing..."

Principal Montgomery nodded slowly. "Well... it seems like you should really discuss this with her. See how she feels about it."  
I nodded. "Yeah... yeah, I should. Thank you, Principal Montgomery."

I stood up, grabbing my bag. I was about to leave the room when Principal Montgomery spoke, causing me to stop.

"You're Valedictorian, Waverly."

I turned around and looked at her, eyes wide. At first I was speechless. When it finally found my voice, I squealed excitedly.

"Valedictorian?! Oh my god! Thank you! Thank you so much!" I exclaimed happily.

I'd wanted to be Valedictorian for so long, but it always seemed out of reach. Who would let an Earp be Valedictorian?

Principal Montgomery smiled. "Don't thank me. You earned it. Now go have that talk with your girlfriend," she told me.

I nodded and smiled again before leaving her office. Nicole was sitting right outside, in one of the chairs, looking absolutely worried. When she saw me, she stood up and rushed over.

"Hey! I heard you got called to the principal's office. What happened? Are you in trouble?" Nicole asked, taking my hands.  
I smiled and shook my head. "No, I'm not in trouble. I'm Valedictorian, actually!" I exclaimed happily.  
Nicole smiled and let out an excited laugh. "Waves, that's amazing! Valedictorian? I mean, I can't say I'm surprised, but that's fantastic. Congratulations, baby." She gave my hands a gentle squeeze.

I looked into her eyes and felt my heart flutter, my smile fading just a bit. I wanted to kiss her so bad.

"Come on," I told her. I released one of her hands, leading her out of the office.

I pulled her through the halls, taking her towards our secret spot we always went to. Nicole followed me, and I could feel her eyes on me as we walked. Her fingers moved just a bit, brushing against my hand. We reached our spot and I turned to face her, putting my hands on the front of her shoulders. She placed her hands on my waist, pulling me closer to her.

"Listen... We should talk," I told her. I felt like now was a good time. There was no one to interrupt us.  
Nicole nodded. "Okay," she agreed. She didn't seem worried or upset.  
"We need to figure out what we're gonna do. In the future, I mean." I said, looking at her seriously.  
She nodded. "Alright. We can do that. What did you have in mind?" She asked.

She was looking at me with such focus. I loved when she did that, because that's how I knew she was listening.

"Well, I was thinking... Since you have to go to the city after graduation, I should stay here," I explained. I didn't realize how it sounded, until Nicole frowned.  
"What? What do you mean "stay here"? You don't mean like-"  
"Oh! Oh, no! No! I didn't mean that. I don't wanna break up!" I told her, shaking my head. "No, no, I just meant I could stay here and do my school online. Maybe get a job, a car... So I can come and visit you," I explained.  
Nicole smiled a bit. "You'd do that?" She asked.  
I nodded. "Of course I would. I love you, Nicole."  
Her smile got bigger, showing off her dimples. "I love you, too."

I smiled, my hands moving from her shoulders to the back of her neck. I pulled her closer and kissed her. Her arms wrapped around me, holding me close as our lips pressed together passionately. I smiled into the kiss, my fingers getting all tangled up in her soft, red hair. Nicole's hands gripped my shirt, and I felt her smile against my lips. We pulled away just a bit, pressing our foreheads together.

"Oh, wow," Nicole breathed.  
I smiled and chuckled. "I know," I replied. I bit my lip. "That never gets old."  
Nicole smiled back. "It really doesn't."

I closed my eyes, leaning forward and kissing her again. This kiss was brief, but still as passionate as before. We pulled away and Nicole kissed my forehead before looking at me.

"I think your plan is great, baby. As long as you're doing what you want, okay? I don't want you giving up your dreams for me," she told me.  
I nodded. "I know," I replied.  
"Promise me?"  
"I promise."

After all of this, Nicole and I went to the rest of our classes and then went out for a while. When we got home, it was getting pretty dark, so Nicole was planning on dropping me off. She pulled up to Gus and Curtis's house, but I didn't get out. Wynonna's truck was parked very crookedly on the street, and Wynonna and Gus were on the front porch, arguing. Wynonna looked drunk.

This has been happening a lot. Ever since lunch with Mercedes, Wynonna's been staying with us. She was no longer allowed to stay above Shorty's and got fired for reasons that weren't her fault. But ever since then, she's had a hard time. Drinking every day (more than usual, anyway), and coming home drunk every night. It's safe to say Gus was pretty damn tired of it. Curtis was, too, but he had his tomatoes to worry about.

Nicole sighed. "Are they going at it again?" She asked, looking outside.  
I nodded. "Yep," I responded. I let out a sigh and looked over at her. "I'm gonna go see what's wrong this time."  
"Okay. Want me to stay just in case?"  
"Please?"  
"Of course, baby."

I smiled at her, giving her a quick kiss before getting out of the car. Once I was outside, I could clearly hear the argument that was happening.

"I'm sick of this shit, Wynonna! You comin' home all wasted!" Gus snapped, her eyes narrowed at Wynonna. She was pissed.  
Wynonna nearly tripped over her own foot and scoffed. "Wow, okay! So what are you gonna do? Kick me out?!"  
Gus crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe. Waverly doesn't need to be around this mess! She's graduatin' soon, and I don't want you messin' up her life!"  
I couldn't see Wynonna's expression, but I knew that hit her hard. "Really? I'm gonna mess up her life?" She asked Gus, her voice emotional.  
Gus gave a nod. "Yes. She had to work twice as hard in school, just get out from under your shadow!"  
"You don't think I know that?! Who was the one to take her to and from school?! Who was the one who signed her report cards? The one who went to those BULLSHIT back to school nights to talk to her stupid fucking teachers, Gus? IT WAS ME! I was the ONLY ONE in that GODDAMN HOUSE who actually cared enough about her to do that shit!" Wynonna shouted.  
"You know what?! You wanna shout at me? You can get the hell off my property!" Gus yelled back.  
"Oh, I'll tell you what, Gus-" Wynonna snapped, moving forward.

I rushed over, grabbing her before she could do anything. "Wynonna! Stop it!" I commanded.  
Wynonna stopped, pushing me off of her. "Of course you're on her side!" She yelled, turning around to look at me.  
I looked at her in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? I'm just trying to make sure you don't do something you'll regret!" I told her. I can't believe she'd say that to me.

Wynonna didn't respond. She just stared at me while Gus went into the house, coming back out with all of Wynonna's things.

Gus tossed them onto the ground. "Here ya go. Take your shit and go back to the Homestead or something. I don't want you here anymore." She spat, glaring at Wynonna so hard she might as well have had daggers for eyes.  
Wynonna, tears now running down her cheeks, nodded and started to pick up her things. "That's fair," she replied quietly.

Curtis stepped out of the house and looked around. "What the hell is goin' on out here?" He asked.  
Gus looked at him. "Wynonna's leavin'. She's the spittin' image of her daddy and I'm sick and tired of dealin' with it." She said, turning her head and speaking pointedly towards Wynonna when she said the last part.

I actually cringed when I heard that. There was no going back now... Wynonna was beyond pissed. She stood up straight and walked up to Gus, pointing at her. "Don't you _ever_ compare me to him. I'm nothing like that disgrace of a father, and I never will be." She told her, shaking her head. She went back to grab the rest of her things, shoving them inside of an old leather slouch backpack.  
"Yeah, you keep tellin' yourself that, Wynonna," was the last thing Gus said before she turned around to go back into the house.

I shook my head, watching the whole the thing with my arms crossed. It didn't feel real. I watched as Wynonna grabbed her stuff and walked quickly over to her truck, tossing her bag into the back of the pickup and went to get into the driver's seat.

"Wynonna! Wait!" I called out. I rushed over to her and stopped her from getting into the truck. "Where are you going?" I asked her when she looked at me.  
"You heard Gus. She doesn't want me here anymore. So I'm leaving," she replied. She looked sad. Not even looked, I knew she was sad. It was obvious.  
I shook my head. "Leaving? Not like leaving leaving, right? You're staying in Purgatory, aren't you?"  
"Don't think so, baby girl."  
Tears welled up in my eyes. "What? But Wynonna-"  
Wynonna shook her head. "No. No, Gus was right. I'm gonna ruin your life, kid. You'll amount to a lot more if I'm not around." She had tears in her eyes, too.  
"No," I said quickly. "No. Please, Wynonna. Please don't leave. I need you." The tears began to spill and I was holding back my sobs, biting my lip to keep myself from breaking down.  
"No, you don't. You'll be better off without me, I swear." Wynonna promised me, cupping my face with her hands. "Just promise me one thing, baby girl."  
I looked into her blue eyes, still struggling to compose myself. I nodded. "Anything," I told her.  
"Take that girl to prom, dammit." Wynonna was absolutely serious, but then broke out into a smile. "I mean it. If you don't, I'll come back here and kick your ass."

We both laughed.

"Okay. I promise," I told her.  
Wynonna nodded. "Good. Now go on, alright?" She told me. She kissed my forehead and then gave me a sad smile. "I love you, Waverly. Okay?"  
I nodded, a sob finally escaping. "I- I love you, too."

One last hug. I held onto my sister as tight as I could before I had to let go. When I did, Wynonna got into her truck and drove away.

There I was, standing in the street. I finally broke down, watching her truck drive away until I couldn't see it anymore. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and, knowing it was Nicole without even having to look, I threw myself into her arms. I buried my face into her shoulder, sobbing harder than I think I ever had. Her arms wrapped around me tightly, holding me in a way that made me feel safe.

"Shh... It's okay, baby. It's gonna be okay," she whispered.

She was so soothing. So sweet. I must've cried for almost half an hour before I got the courage to go inside the house and tell Gus what I thought.

I thought I would've been more angry at her... Most aggressive. I wasn't. I cried in there, too.

"How could you say those things to her?" I asked, more upset than angry, tears streaming down my face like a waterfall.  
Gus looked at me, clearly affected by how upset I was, but still seeming very serious. "She was screwin' up, Waverly. I couldn't have that around you," she told me.  
I shook my head. "I get to decided what I want around me. And I wanted my sister. I don't care if she screws up. We can't give up her! And now she's leaving Purgatory because you told her that she was going to mess up my life!" I snapped, finally getting mad. Now, I was seething with anger. I wanted to let it all out, but I didn't wanna do that to Gus... She's done so much for me.  
Gus sighed. "I know. I shouldn't have said that, but she needs to learn. She can't stay out all day and night drinkin' and then come home wasted and expect everything to be okay," she told me. It was obvious that she didn't want to start an argument with me either, because she spoke in a calm tone.  
I shook my head. "I can't believe you'd rather kick her out than help her," I muttered. I scoffed. "I'm gonna stay at Nicole's house tonight."

With that, I was out of the house. I didn't give Gus enough time to respond, and I didn't bother to pack anything- it wasn't necessary, really. I just couldn't be around Gus anymore. Curtis didn't speak. He didn't have anything to say. It wasn't his problem, it was Gus's. And as much as he loved her, he knew that this was something she needed to solve herself.

I got in the car, where Nicole was waiting for me, and silently buckled my seat belt. Nicole didn't question anything. I think it was because she could see how mad I was. She just started the car and drove.

When we got to her house, Nicole parked and turned the car off before looking over at me. "How are you feeling?" She asked softly.  
I didn't respond for a little while. I wasn't sure what to say. I just shook my head and then looked up at her. "Angry? Tense? Overwhelmed? So many different things. I just need to blow off some steam... Relax," I told her.

Nicole leaned forward and pressed her lips against mine. I responded immediately, kissing her back.

Nicole pulled away and looked at me. "I can help you with that. If you want me to," she told me.  
I nodded. "Oh, I want you to."

We got out of the car and I waited on the passenger side as Nicole walked around the car. She took my hand, leading me up to the front door. She pulled her keys out, and found the house key, sticking it into the lock. She released my hand and turned the key, opening the door. She pulled the key out of the lock and pushed the door open. Nicole stepped aside, allowing me to enter the house first. She followed after me, closing the door behind us and locking it.

I turned around and kissed her hard, pushing her back against the door. Nicole kissed back, pulling me into her, her hands sliding down to my ass. I kissed her desperately, pressing my lips against hers in lustful passion. Nicole turned us around, pinning me against the door. She pulled away from the kiss only to lift me up, her arms hooked under my legs.

I bit my lip as she pushed her body against mine, my legs wrapped around her waist. "You're so hot. Oh my god," I practically moaned.

Nicole didn't have a chance to respond, because I cut her off with a rough and needy kiss. She moaned against my lips and began to move away from the door, still holding me up. Nicole broke the kiss and started to walk. I wrapped my arms around her neck, holding onto her so that I wouldn't fall. Not that she would drop me, but you never know. She brought me into her room and laid me down on the bed, staying on top of me.

She kissed my cheek and then moved down slightly, kissing my neck. She was slow and tender, as always. I was enjoying the moment, my head leaned back, my eyes closed.

Suddenly, I thought about Wynonna. My brain was now swimming with thoughts of how both of my sisters are now gone. My dad was gone. My mom was gone. All I had left was Gus, Uncle Curtis, and Nicole. I opened my eyes and let out a sigh.

Nicole stopped what she was doing and looked at me. "Are you okay?" She asked. She sounded concerned.  
I looked at her and shook my head. "Not really," I told her. I was speaking honestly, because I knew she would understand.  
She nodded and laid down next to me. "Do you wanna talk about it?"  
"I just- I can't believe Wynonna left... You know? It just feels like... like..." What did it feel like? "It feels like everyone I care about keeps leaving me."  
"How so?"  
"My mom left when I was four... My dad is God knows where. Willa's going to prison, so she's leaving... And now Wynonna's leaving, and I don't know where she's going. Or if I'll hear from her. I don't even know if I'll see her again. You, Gus, Uncle Curtis... You guys are all I've got left."

Saying that out loud made it so much more real, and I actually started to wish that I hadn't said welled up in my eyes and I shook my head.

"Come here, baby," Nicole whispered.

I rolled over and she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me to her chest. I sniffed and let out a sad sigh, the tears running down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I muttered.  
"For what?" Nicole asked, sounding confused.  
"We were about to have sex, but I had to get all emotional and stop it."  
Nicole shook her head. "Waves, I don't care about that. I mean, don't get me wrong, having sex with you is... absolutely amazing. And I mean _amazing._ But your feelings are more important to me. I just want you to be okay."

I smiled a bit to myself. Nicole didn't care about the sex. She cared about me. That was such a relief to hear. Champ always seemed like sex was more important to him than anything else. Like he was only with me for my body. It was amazing to know that Nicole wasn't.

I leaned my head up to look at her. "You're the best, you know that?"  
She chuckled and kissed my forehead. "You're even better."

 **A/N: Yo yo yiggity yo! I'm sorry for taking so long to update. I hope I made up for it with this chapter, haha. The title was (quite loosely) inspired by the song All You Got by Tegan And Sara. I changed the "You" to "I" because- well, you guys know why. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!**

 **Happy Pride Month!**

 **Much love,  
LyricalDisaster**


	21. Kissing in Cars Pt 1 (The Planning)

It's been about a month since Wynonna left, and I decided to do what she said, and take Nicole to prom. But I needed to ask first, and I didn't want to do it all boring and just be like "hey, wanna go to prom with me?". So I decided to do one of those "promposal" things everyone talks about. There were a few at Purg High, but I guess it's because small town kids don't really care that much about prom. I feel like for about 95% of the kids at my school, prom is all about the sex. Getting a motel room, staying out all night. Getting drunk, maybe a little bit high, and having sex.

The cliche is usually that girls lose their virginity on prom night, because it's more "special" I guess? I mean, not that that's an option for me, either way. I've already lost mine, so that's not the reason I wanna go. I started to google ideas, with almost no luck. I mean, how am I supposed to even do this? This is absolutely ridiculous.

I sat on my bed with my laptop, scrolling through the web page of "promposal" ideas. I didn't find any that would work for me, and absolutely nothing I could make my own. I closed the page and shut my laptop down before closing it and setting it off to the side. I stood up and walked out of my room, going downstairs.

Gus was in the kitchen, making herself some lunch. She'd made a salad. Curtis was out with Champ doing some... scavenging, I guess? I didn't remember.

"Looks good," I commented, walking over to sit down at the table.  
Gus looked up. "You want some?" She asked.  
I nodded. "Sure," I answered.

Gus nodded and began to make me a plate. We sat in silence for a little while until Gus was finished. She brought both plates over and set them on the table.

"Thank you," I said with a smile.  
Gus gave a nod. "Of course," she said. "You want a drink?"  
"Yeah."

She went to the cabinet and brought out two glasses before going to the fridge to grab the pitcher of sweet tea. She brought the glasses to the table and set them down before pouring some tea into each glass. She put the pitcher back and then came to sit down.

"Any luck with the, uh... what was it called?" Gus asked once she'd sat down in her chair.  
I took a sip of my tea. "Mm," I swallowed. "Promposal, and no. No luck, whatsoever. I just don't know what to do," I responded. I was completely at a loss. I didn't want it to be too cheesy, because I wasn't sure how Nicole felt about cheesy. I didn't want to take an idea from someone else either. I wanted to come up with something perfect. On my own.  
Gus nodded slowly, beginning to eat her food. She chewed and then swallowed. "I'm sure Nicole will love anything you do," she told me.  
I shrugged, pushing the lettuce of my own salad around a bit with my fork. "Yeah, I know. I'm just not sure what that's gonna be... It's so hard to choose." I took a bite.  
"Well, you could always sing her a song," Gus suggested. She picked up her glass and took a sip of her tea.  
I swallowed my food and shook my head. "Oh, no. I- I don't think so." I don't think I could do that.  
Gus looked at me, confused. "Why not? You've always been a lovely singer."  
I shook my head again. "I don't wanna embarrass myself. Especially not in front of the whole school," I refused. At this point, I think I was just making up excuses. But seriously, I've never sang in front of anyone who wasn't my family.  
"So then do it in private. Does this... "promposal" thing have to be done in front of everyone?"  
"I mean, I guess not... But it just seems so ridiculous to not do it in public. Like, why go through the trouble of putting it together, if you're the only two people who are gonna see it?"  
Gus snorted. "To make it _special_ , smartass. It's just as special, even if no one else sees it."

We finished eating our lunch in silence, and I began to consider what Gus had said. I mean, she wasn't wrong. The whole thing has still special, even if no one else saw it. After all, I wasn't doing it for _them,_ I was doing it for _her._ Why did it matter if anyone else saw it?

I finished lunch before Gus did and put my plate in the sink. "Thank you for lunch, Aunt Gus." I spoke, giving her a kiss on the cheek before rushing off to my room.

I sat on my bed and grabbed my laptop one last time. I started searching for songs to sing for Nicole, and I was planning on playing guitar for her, but I remembered that I didn't have one- not to mention that I'm not even sure I know how to play anymore. I was deep in my search, when my door opened, and Nicole poked her head in.

"Hey, baby!" She greeted, startling me.  
I jumped, closing my laptop. I let out an airy laugh. "Oh, hey. You scared me!" I replied.  
Nicole walked into the room, closing the door behind her. "I'm sorry. Gus let me in. I knocked," she told me.  
I was so into my research that I hadn't even heard her knock on the door! "Oh, sorry. I was just... working on something," I responded.

I grabbed my bag and slipped my laptop into it before putting it on the floor next to the bed. Nicole walked over to the bed and leaned over, kissing me. I kissed back and smiled at her when we pulled away. She sat down on the bed and looked at me curiously.

"What were you working on?" She asked me, looking a bit suspicious. I needed to distract her.  
Instead of answering her question, I stared at her eyes. "You're so beautiful," I told her.

Nicole blushed visibly and cleared her throat. I smirked, gesturing for her to come closer. When she did, I pulled her into a passionate kiss. She responded immediately, gladly moving her lips against mine.

She pulled away after a few seconds and looked at me. "Well... That's one hell of a way to distract from whatever it is you were doing up here," she said.  
I chuckled. "I'm not trying to distract you," I lied. I leaned in once more, trying to kiss Nicole.

Nicole smiled, turning her head to the side. My lips pressed against her jawline and she chuckled quietly.

I pulled away a bit and pouted. "I want a kiss," I told her.  
Nicole looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you do?" She asked teasingly.  
"I do," I responded. I tried to kiss her again, but she moved back. I whined one, pouting again.  
Nicole laughed a bit. "I will give you a kiss, if-" She started. She watched me as I waited for her to tell me what she wanted. "If you tell me what you were doing on your laptop," she finished.  
I sighed. I couldn't tell her what I was actually doing, so I needed to make something up... And quick! "I was watching porn-" I heard myself blurt out. I groaned, covering my face. _Way to go, Waverly._

Nicole shifted awkwardly on the bed. "Oh- Well- Um- I-"  
I moved my hands and looked at her. "Sorry, I just-"  
Nicole shook her head, her cheeks red. "No, no. It's- It's fine, I just- Wow. I- I wasn't expecting that answer," she responded.  
I shrugged, extremely embarrassed.. "I don't really... watch that stuff... I was just- God, I don't even know."

Nicole actually believed me, and I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I can't believe that was the first thing I said to her. I could've told her I was working on a letter to Wynonna or something, but no! I had to tell her that I was watching porn!

Nicole shook her head again, taking my hand. "Hey, it's okay if you do. I mean, it's alright to look at that stuff. I- I mean- I've looked at it a few times... It's totally fine, baby," she told me. Her voice was soft and loving. She wasn't judging me... It wasn't exactly a shock, but I was kind of surprised that she was so nice about it.  
I looked down, sheepishly. "You have?" I asked, quietly.  
"Y-yeah. When I was younger... I-I used to look at things... It sort of helped me," she told me.  
I looked up at her. "What did you look at?" I asked.  
Nicole thought for a second. "Um. Playboys? Things like that. Just- anything that had naked women in it," she explained.  
"And now? Do you still... look at stuff?" I wasn't sure why I was asking, but I figured it was okay. I mean, she is my girlfriend, after all.  
Nicole gave a shrug, her cheeks turning red again. "Um. Sometimes, I guess. I- I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back," she said. The last part was so quick, she seemed like she was panicking.

Nicole stood up and left, going into the bathroom so fast that I didn't even have time to stop her. I stood up quickly, planning to go after her, but I didn't even know what to say. I sat back down on the bed and sighed, my head swimming with so many different thoughts that I couldn't even keep up at this point. I grabbed my bag and pulled my laptop out of it, setting the computer on my lap. I dropped the bag on the floor and opened my laptop up.

Suddenly, I knew what I wanted to do for the promposal, but I wanted to wait to do it at school. Doing it where no one can see made it seem like I was ashamed of our relationship, when I really wasn't. I closed the tabs that I'd been looking at earlier and opened up a new one. My fingers hovered over the keyboard as I thought about what I was about the do. I typed in the web address of a porn site and pressed enter. The page loaded and I stared at it, swallowing nervously.

There were a few knocks on the door before it opened and Gus popped her head in.

"Just wanted to let you know that I'm heading out to the grocery store. Do you need anything?" Gus asked.  
I looked up from my screen and shook my head quickly. "No, thank you," I replied. My heart was pounding. _Please don't come over here. Please don't come over here._  
Gus stood in the doorway, looking at me. "Where's Nicole? I sent her up here," she asked.  
"Bathroom," I answered. I was fully prepared to slam my laptop shut, if she decided to walk over and look to see what I'd had planned for my promposal so far.  
Gus didn't walk over. Instead, she nodded and flashed a smile. "Alright. Well, I'll be back in a couple of hours."

I gave a quick nod and she left the room just as Nicole was coming out of the bathroom. They said bye to each other and Nicole came back in, her face still a bit red.

I quickly close the tab and looked at her, swallowing a bit. "You okay?" I asked her, slowly closing my laptop.  
Nicole nodded, closing my bedroom door behind her. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry, I just... I got a little, um- Well-"  
I shook my head, holding up my hand. "It's okay. I understand. I- I'm sorry," I replied. I put my laptop back into my bag before setting it back down on the floor.  
"Oh, you don't have to apologize, Wave."  
"I do, actually." I looked at her. "I can't believe I told you about that... And then I kept asking you questions. I mean, I know that we agreed we wouldn't... do anything... for a while... It wasn't fair."

A few days after Wynonna left, Nicole and I had a talk. We decided that we shouldn't have sex or do anything like for a while. How long exactly? I have no clue. Nicole said my eighteenth birthday, but that's so far away... I don't know if I can wait that long, honestly.

Nicole nodded, making her way over to the bed. She sat down next to me and sighed. "I'm actually started to question myself right now... Like- Why did I think that was a good idea?" She laughed.  
I chuckled, shaking my head at her. "Because of all the legal stuff, remember? I mean, you could get in serious trouble," I reminded her.  
Her face fell, her expression becoming sad and worried. "Yeah, I remember... You're right," she muttered. She looked down.

I put a finger under her chin and gently made her look at me. "Hey, look at me. I love you, and trust me, the sex was amazing, but I'm not gonna risk you going to jail or something." I told her, looking into her eyes. I could see the sadness because we both knew that I was right. "If you get in trouble for sleeping with me, you won't be able to be a cop. You'd go to jail, and have to register as a sex offender. I am not doing that to you," I promised.  
Nicole let out a sigh before nodding a bit. "Okay, baby."

I gave her a smile and leaned in to kiss her. My lips pressed against hers and I felt her kiss back. Our lips lingered for a moment before we pulled away, looking at each other.

Nicole's expression changed a little bit and she looked at me with mock suspicion. "Were you really watching porn?" She asked.  
I laughed. "What do you mean?" I responded.  
She shrugged, her expression shifting from mock suspicion to amusement. "I dunno, you just don't strike me as the "porn watching" type. You seem a little too innocent for that," she replied.  
I snickered. After the things we've done, I found it hilarious that "innocent" was the word she'd used to describe me. "Innocent? Oh, Nicole, I think you and I both know I'm far from innocent."  
Nicole laughed quite loudly at that. "Far from it, huh? We've done things, I'll admit that. But what we did was nothing compared to what goes on in some of those videos online."  
I rolled my eyes. "Okay, fine. But I'm not innocent!"  
Nicole chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright. Whatever you say, Waverly."

The rest of the night went by kind of slowly. Gus came home with groceries and made dinner for everyone. Nicole stayed for dinner, but went back home because it was Sunday night. When I went back upstairs to my room, I grabbed my laptop and finished planning out my promposal for Nicole. I kept thinking about what I was doing. It felt weird that I was going to be the one asking someone to prom. I'd always dreamed that I would be the one to be asked. It was all I thought about when I was with Champ. If he would ask me... How he would ask me. But I'm not with him anymore. I couldn't just sit and wait for Nicole to ask me. I wanted to be the one to do it.

I let out a sigh. "Time to get this together," I muttered.

I left Waverly's house and went home, feeling happy. Like, really happy. I was in love! Really in love, for the first time in a while. Well- not _that_ long... It was just so strange, because after Shae, I didn't expect to find anyone else. We had a really exciting relationship, but it was mostly just fun. We didn't have any of the cute, fluffy stuff I have with Waverly. Especially because Shae and I completely fell apart in the worst way.

I walked up to my front door and unlocked it before stepping inside the house. I closed the door behind me and locked it, heading to my room. I opened my bedroom door and stepped inside. I turned the light on and stopped to look at the stuff I'd gotten for Waverly. A big teddy bear, a dozen red rose (cliche, I know, but red roses mean true love... I'm lame, okay?), and a sign that just read "PROM?" in big letters. Not exactly a grand gesture, but I didn't wanna do something big and cheesy just in case that's not something she liked.

I know we both agreed we probably couldn't go to prom together, but I mean, now that everyone knows we're together, why can't we?

So I'm gonna take a chance, and ask Waverly to prom. I just hope she says yes.

 **A/N: Oooooh Waverly and Nicole are both planning on asking each other to prom?**

 **Hey everyone! Once again, so sorry for the late response. I'm working on a comic book, as well as babysitting for my mom at the moment, so I've been quite busy. Thank you all so much for reading this story, and I will try to get part two up as soon as possible! Let me know if you guys have any theories on how this is all gonna play out!**

 **xoxo, LyricalDisaster!**


	22. Kissing in Cars Pt 2 (The Promposal)

After practicing my promposal all night long, I finally felt like I was ready to do it. I texted a girl from band who plays guitar and asked her if she could help me. Luckily, she agreed, which kinda surprised me. I told her what was gonna happen, and what song I was planning on singing. I didn't wanna make her learn the song in one night, but she said it was okay.

I dressed up really nice (well, not dressed up, but I wore nice clothes), and made sure my hair and everything looked good. I grabbed my jacket and left my room, heading downstairs. Gus was serving breakfast for Uncle Curtis when I got down there.

Gus looked up when I walked in. "Hey, kiddo. Ready to go?" She asked.  
I nodded. "Yep. I've got everything all ready to go. Ready to... ask my girlfriend to prom!" Wow, that was weird to say. "Wow. Who would've ever thought I'd be saying that, huh?" I laughed.  
Gus shrugged, chuckling. "I had some notion." She told me, trying to walk towards the door, grabbing her keys on the way.  
I raised my eyebrows and stopped her. "What?! What do you mean?" I asked, smiling as I crossed my arms over my chest.  
Gus laughed, shaking her head. "When you met Nicole, you were different. You seemed more yourself, ya know? I knew that girl was gonna be a special person in your life," she explained. She smiled a little bit and chuckled again. "Besides, you know that your Uncle Curtis and I knew there was somethin' goin' on between you two that first night she came over. Don't make me remind you of what I walked in on that night, either."  
I blushed, shaking my head quickly. "Oh, you- you don't need to. I remember. It was embarrassing," I spoke awkwardly.  
Curtis looked at us. "What did you walk in on, Gus?" He asked curiously.  
We both shook our heads. "Oh, nothing." We said in unison.  
"C'mon, we gotta get going." Gus said to me, stepping over to give Uncle Curtis a quick kiss goodbye.

We stepped outside of the house and headed to the truck. It was a bit warmer outside, but there was still some snow on the ground. We got into Gus's truck and she started driving while I took deep breaths to try to calm myself down.

I left my house, heading to my car. I was about to get in to go pick Waverly up when I got a text from her.

 _ **Waves**_ _ **: Hey, baby! Don't worry about picking me up today. I had to get to school early to take care of something, so Gus gave me a ride. I'll see you at school! I love you!**_

I sighed, locking my phone before getting in the car and putting my seat belt on. _Well, at least I'll have time to set up my promposal._ I started the car and waited a few minutes to let the engine warm up before pulling out of the driveway.

While I was driving, I couldn't help but think about what I was about to do. The thought just continued to weigh heavy on my mind, even though it was something I really wanted. What if they don't even let us go? What if she doesn't even _want_ to go?

...

What if Tucker sees?

 _No. Stop thinking about that._ Who cares if Tucker sees? This isn't about him. This is about me and Waverly. _My_ girlfriend. Not Tucker's.

I pulled up to the school, looking around quickly to see if I saw Waverly anywhere. I didn't know what she needed to be at school early for, but I didn't want her to see me carrying all of the things I was planning on using to ask her to prom. I didn't see her, so I pulled into the student parking lot and parked in my usual spot. I turned the engine off and took one last deep breath.

"You got this, Nicole. You can do this. It's gonna be okay," I muttered to myself. My heart was pounding. I was about to ask the girl of my dreams to prom, and I couldn't more nervous. _Come on... Don't wait too long..._ "Okay." I exhaled sharply and got out of the car, closing the door behind me and heading to the trunk. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Tucker Gardner making his way over to me. I ignored him at first, opening the trunk with my key and opening it.

"Nicole, right?" I heard Tucker ask.  
I rolled my eyes, slamming the trunk shut. I directed my attention to him, turning around and folding my arms over my chest. "What do you want?" I asked pointedly, my tone quite rude.  
Tucker held his hands up in mock surrender, his expression amused. "I just wanna talk," he told me.  
I glared at him, not in the mood for his bullshit. "Well, I'd rather not talk to you, so if you don't mind, I have something I've gotta do." I snapped, turning around and opening the trunk again.  
Tucker put his hand on the trunk and pushed it closed. "Waverly's not gay," he said.  
I looked at him, my eyebrows furrowed. "I never said she was, Tucker."  
Tucker shook his head. "No. But you're corrupting her. She thinks she loves you."  
I scoffed, shaking my head. "Oh, you're way out of line. You don't know anything about Waverly or our relationship, so I suggest you mind your own business."  
"I know Waverly. And she's not a lesbian. She needs a man, Nicole. And you're not a man." His expression was completely serious, letting me know that he genuinely believed that Waverly needed a man.

I smirked a bit. "What? You think you're "man enough" for Waverly? News flash, Tucker. She doesn't want a man, and she certainly doesn't want you. So why don't you just leave us alone, okay?" I snapped at him one last time, my tone harsh.

He backed away a few steps and I opened my trunk again, pulling out all of the things I'd gotten for the promposal and closing the trunk. I turned around immediately and started walking towards the entrance of the school.

When I walked in, I rushed through the hallway, muttering "excuse me" to everyone I passed. I made my way to Waverly's locker, but was suprised to see a note taped to the door.

I walked over to it and looked at it. It was written by Waverly, in black marker. "Nicole, come to the auditorium. I have to talk to you..." I read quietly, my eyebrows furrowed. "Weird, but I guess..." I muttered, turning around and heading in the direction of the auditorium.

When I got there, the doors were wide open, with rose petals scattered into a trail, leading into the building. I looked down at the petals, confused.

 _What the hell is going on?_

I sighed, deciding the only way to find out was to follow the trail. So that's what I did. I followed the trail, into the auditorium. There were simple, yet gorgeous decorations set up around the room, and I immediately knew Waverly was responsible. Other students followed me into the room curiously, muttering questions to each other.

"What's going on?" One person whispered.  
"Who did all this?" Another asked quietly.  
"Is this for her?" Someone else muttered.

I ignored them, walking down the aisle until the petals stopped. There was a seat in the front that had a sign taped to it. It was also written by Waverly.

RESERVED FOR NICOLE HAUGHT

Well, whatever this is... I should probably sit down for it. I took a seat in the chair that was apparently reserved for me and looked around, waiting patiently for whatever was about to happen. I realized I still have my things I'd gotten to ask Waverly to prom in my arms, so I set them down in the seat next to me.

The closed curtains of the stage parted slightly and Waverly stepped out, looking nervous. She held a microphone in her right hand, while her left was at her side, playing with the hem of her shirt.

Waverly cleared her throat. "Um. So- you guys are all probably wondering what this is..." She trailed off. She looked at me and I smiled at her. She smiled back and then took a deep breath. "Nearly ten months ago, I ran into someone. Like, literally _ran_ into someone. And it hurt, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't the best thing that ever happened to me. Eight months ago, I started dating that person," she spoke. She looked at me again, making eye contact. "I can't help but think that... if I hadn't been running that day, we wouldn't be where we are today."

I smiled, tears welling up in my eyes. What is she doing?

"Nicole, you are inarguably the most important thing in my life right now. Besides, ya know, graduation-" Everyone chuckled. Waverly let out an airy laugh. "But we're not there yet." She said, though it seemed like she had no intention of continuing after that.

And she didn't. She turned around, without another word, and disappeared behind the curtains again. The curtains remained closed for a couple more minutes before the sound of an acoustic guitar began to play.

The curtains opened slowly, revealing Waverly standing behind a microphone, and some girl from band sitting on a wooden stool a few feet away from her. I froze as I watched Waverly. She seemed like she was gathering up courage. Was she gonna sing?

As if answering my silent question, Waverly breathed in, and began to sing.

 _"As we wake up in your room, your face is the first thing I see_  
 _The first time I've seen love, and the last I'll ever need_  
 _You remind her, that your future would be nothing without her_  
 _Never lose her, I'm afraid_  
 _Better think of something good to say_  
 _But it's all been done, more than once_  
 _So I'll keep on trying_  
 _Oh, God, don't let me be the only one who says..."_

Waverly looked at me the whole time she sang, and I felt so many different positive emotions at once that if someone asked me to explain how I felt, I wouldn't even know what to say.

 _"No, at the top of our lungs_  
 _There's no, no such thing as too young_  
 _When second chances won't leave you alone_  
 _Then there's faith in love,"_

Waverly took a deep breath. I could tell she was nervous. I looked at her, never breaking eye contact.

"You got this," I mouthed to her.

A small smile spread across her lips and she inhaled.

 _"She was always the one,_  
 _I'll repeat it again - the one,_  
 _No such thing as too young_  
 _Red lights flash in the car we're kissing in,_  
 _Call me crazy_  
 _I've always tried to remind her_  
 _That the future's just a few heartbeats away from disaster_  
 _I'm afraid that I've thrown it all away,"_

I shook my head a bit, smiling at her.

 _"No, at the top of our lungs_  
 _There's no, no such thing as too young_  
 _Second chances won't leave you alone..."_

Waverly's voice trailed off and she took the microphone off of the microphone stand before gesturing for me to come onto the stage. I stood up and walked to the stairs, climbing them to make my way to her.

Waverly continued to sing softly.

 _"No... At the top of our lungs,_  
 _There's no, no such thing as too young_  
 _Second chances won't leave you alone..."_

I finally reached her and she took my hand.

 _"We'll repeat it again - there's no, no such thing as too young_  
 _Second chances won't leave you alone_  
 _'Cause there's faith in love,_  
 _If you kiss me goodnight, I'll know..._  
 _Everything is alright_  
 _Second chances won't leave us alone..._  
 _'Cause there's faith in love..."_

As the girl playing the guitar played what seemed to be the outro of the song, Waverly turned me around just as a banner fell.

 **WILL YOU GO TO PROM WITH ME?**

The crowd of students gasped collectively, some "aww"-ing.

My eyes widened. "Holy shit," I breathed. I stared at the banner before looking at Waverly.

She looked at me with hope, her gorgeous smile spread across her lips. The smile I never grew tired of seeing.

I smiled widely, tears falling down my cheeks. "Actually, I was planning on asking you already..." I responded.  
Waverly's eyes watered, and her smiled seemed to get even bigger. "Really?" She asked me.  
I nodded. "Yeah... Guess you beat me to it, huh?" I laughed.  
Waverly laughed. "Guess so," she replied.

The kids in the audience laughed a bit.

"So is that a yes?" Waverly asked me, biting her lip.  
I laughed and nodded. "Yes, Wave. It's a yes. Of course it a yes!" I answered.

Everyone cheered and I gave Waverly a huge hug, lifting her up off the ground. She giggled, her arms wrapped around my neck. We pulled away from the hug a bit to look each other in the eyes.

"I love you... And I can't wait to go to prom with you," I whispered.  
Waverly smiled. "I love you," she replied. She brushed her nose against mine. "And I can't wait to go to prom with _you_."

Our lips connected in a soft kiss, and the cheering continued. Some guys in the crowd started to be total pigs, yelling things like "take your tops off" or some crap like that. We didn't care though. We ignored them.

My beautiful girlfriend had just asked me to prom in probably the most elaborate way I'd ever witnessed, and I couldn't think of anything better.

After everyone cleared out of the auditorium and Waverly thanked the girl who'd helped her, we started to clean up all of her decorations she'd made.

"So this is what you were doing on your laptop, huh?" I asked, smiling at her.  
Waverly laughed. "Yes. I wasn't watching porn... I was planning this whole thing. Did you like it?" She asked.  
I looked at her, raising my eyebrows. "Did I like it? Baby, I loved it. It was amazing! Way better than what I had planned," I told her with a quiet laugh.  
Waverly chuckled as she finished getting rid of the last bit of the decorations. "What _did_ you have planned?"  
I sheepishly walked over to where I'd been sitting and gestured to the stuff I'd put in the seat beside it. "That. That's what I had planned."

Waverly looked through them, smiling at the bear and the roses. "Sooo a big teddy bear, some roses, and a banner that just says "Prom?" on it?" She questioned, looking up at me.  
I sighed, giving a quiet chuckle. "Yeah... I didn't wanna do a huge cheesy thing because I wasn't sure how you felt about all that stuff. But clearly I should have planned something more elaborate."

Waverly put the teddy bear and roses down and stepped closer to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. I instinctively wrapped my arms around her waist, making sure my hands didn't go lower than her hips.

"Just because I did something elaborate doesn't mean what you had planned wouldn't have been absolutely perfect. I would have said yes no matter how you asked me," Waverly promised.

I smiled at her for a brief moment before she caught my lips with hers. I kissed back, closing my eyes and pulling her close.

"Mmm," she pulled away and pressed her forehead against mine. "You make me so happy that it's actually kind unreal," she whispered.  
I smiled at her. "I could say the same about you," I whispered back. "Now let's go buy us some prom tickets!" I exclaimed, pulling away and taking her hands.

"Can you believe it, Nicole? We're _actually_ going to prom together!" I said excitedly, holding the prom tickets up.  
Nicole smiled. "I can, actually." She replied, taking my free hand into hers.  
I smiled back at her as she interwined our fingers and kissed the back of my hand. "Really?" I asked her.  
She nodded. "Oh, yeah. I couldn't picture myself going to prom with anyone else."  
I blushed. "I couldn't either," I replied.

I held the prom tickets in my hand while Nicole held the teddy bear and roses she'd gotten for me in her arm. We walked down the hallway, planning on putting the bear and flowers in my locker until lunchtime. During lunch, we were going to put them in Nicole's car. When we were getting closer to my locker, we noticed Champ standing next to it, leaning against the other lockers. He looked like he was waiting.

Nicole stopped walking and huffed. "Great. First Tucker, and now Champ." She grumbled, rolling her eyes.  
I sighed, squeezing her hand. "C'mon. If we let them get the best of us, then we let them win," I told her.  
She looked at me and smiled a bit. "You're right, baby."  
I smiled widely. "I know," I said.

Nicole chuckled and kissed my cheek. We made out way to my locker, hand-in-hand. When we got there, Champ stood up straight and looked at me.

"Can we talk, Waverly?" Champ asked, his voice quiet.  
"I thought I told you to leave me alone," I responded. I didn't once let go of Nicole's hand.  
Champ nodded. "You did," he replied.  
I looked at him expectantly, my eyebrows raised. "Exactly. So why are you here?"  
"I wanna talk to you."  
"Well, I don't wanna talk, Champ."  
"I'm sorry, okay? Sorry I was such a dick... I just-" Champ stopped, like he was struggling to find the words.  
I finally let go of Nicole's hand and crossed my arms over my chest. "You just what? Huh? What is it, Champ? Please, tell me what could have possibly made it okay for you to act the way you did." I snapped at him, glaring holes right into his face (if that were even possible). I felt Nicole put her hand on my lower back and I calmed down... Well... Kind of.  
Champ flinched when I snapped and shook his head a bit. "I loved you! Okay? And- and this redhead just comes along, and all of a sudden you're head over heels for her! I felt-"  
"Insecure?" Nicole asked, interrupting him.  
Champ looked at her. There was anger in his eyes for a split second, and then it went away. "I- Well-... Yeah, kinda."  
I looked at him, my eyebrows furrowed. "So you feeling insecure because I liked someone else gave you the right to be an asshole and try to force me to have sex with you when I broke up with you?" I asked him. I sounded confused, mostly because I actually was. I was very confused. I didn't understand why he thought that was okay. "You really think this is something you can just apologize for? And then- ya know- all will be forgiven?"  
Champ shrugged. "I mean, I was kinda hoping... I want you back, Wave. I want you go to prom with _me_."  
I scoffed, breaking out into an amused smile. "After my huge promposal for Nicole, you really think I'd just leave her and go with you instead? Wow... You really are something else, Hardy James."

I shook my head and started to walk away, the prom tickets still in my hand. I heard Nicole call my name, but I didn't turn around. I just kept going.

I watched Waverly walk away and called her name a few times to see if she'd stop or come back. When she didn't, I looked at Champ.

"You got some nerve, you know that?" I told him.  
He furrowed his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes at me. "Oh, I got some nerve? You're the one who stole my girl."  
"It was eight months ago, Champ. Let it go already." Has he really been holding onto it this whole time? "Besides, she was never YOURS to begin with with. She doesn't belong to anyone but herself."  
Champ scoffed. "Oh, really? So she's not yours then?" He asked.  
"She's my girlfriend, not my property, asshole."  
Champ rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You can have her. She talks too much. Only thing that mouth is good for is a blow job."

Without thinking, I dropped the teddy bear and flowers, letting them fall to the floor as I shoved Champ into the lockers.

"What the hell did you just say?" I practically yelled at him.

There were "oohs" all around us as the other students came to gather around.

"You heard me," Champ shot back.  
"You shut you goddamn mouth about her."  
"Or what, huh?" Champ challenged. "Are you mad that she actually did it for me? She probably makes you do all the work, huh?"  
"Shut. Up."  
"She does, doesn't she?"  
"I said shut the hell up before I make you, Champ."

I was fuming at this point. I can't believe he was talking about Waverly like that.

Champ took a step towards me. "She's a hot bitch with a nice ass. That's only reason I ever even _looked_ at her."

I shoved him again, ready to knock his ass out. I heard the kids that had surrounded us start to cheer me on.

"Kick his ass, Nicole!"  
"Yeah, Nicole!"  
"Screw you, Champ!"  
"Fuck him up, Nicole!"

I went to punch him, but familiar hands grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"Nicole, what the hell are you doing?" Waverly demanded as she pulled me to face her.  
"You didn't hear the awful things he was saying about you! He's an asshole!" I told her, my expression softening as I looked at her.  
Waverly crossed her arms. "Oh, believe me, I'm well aware of what he thinks. But do not-" She looked around at all the people. "Don't you have anything better to do?" She asked them. She waved them off. "Go away!"

The teens groaned and reluctantly turned away, continuing to their classes.

Waverly looked at me again. "As I was saying... Do not ruin our chances of going to prom together by getting suspended for fighting. He's not worth it." She told me, her tone stern. She shifted her attention to Champ. "And you. If you don't leave us alone, I'll sic Wynonna on your roughriding ass. Got it?" She snapped at him.  
Champ let out a sigh. "Fine," he muttered.

He finally turned and walked away, not looking back. I was glad he didn't because if he did, I probably would've thrown my shoe at him. I looked at Waverly, whose arms were now crossed over her chest again.

"Baby, I'm sorry, okay? I just- I let him push my buttons and I really shouldn't have-" I began to apologize. I was cut off by Waverly grabbing me by my shirt and pulling me into a kiss. I closed my eyes and raised my eyebrows, kissing back. When she pulled away, I looked at her, surprised. "Well, that was one hell of a way to get me to shut up," I laughed.  
Waverly giggled. "Look, I don't care what Champ said about me. He's been saying those things since I broke up with him. He wants to make it seem like he doesn't care that I dumped him, so he tells people that he only dated me for my ass or some disgusting shit like that. But you need to work on not letting him get to you. Seriously, he's not worth ruining _our_ prom night. Okay?"  
I nodded. "Okay. I promise I won't let him get to me anymore."  
"Or Tucker."  
I groaned. "Really?"  
Waverly looked at me with a serious expression. "Yes, really."  
"But Tucker-"  
"I don't care. We will not let them ruin this for us."  
I sighed. "Alright. I won't."  
Waverly raised an eyebrow. "Swear?"  
I nodded. "Yes. I swear."  
She broke out into her usual beautiful smile. "Good. Now," she bent down to pick up the flowers and teddy bear. "Let's get these into my locker so we can get to class."

I walked over to my locker and put the combination in before opening the door and grabbing the books I needed. I handed them to Nicole and shoved the teddy bear inside. I set the flowers in there gently so I didn't mess them up any more than they already were after Nicole dropped them.

When they were inside, I closed my locker and turned around to look at Nicole. I took my books from her and took her hand. I noticed the sad look on her face, and sighed.

"It's gonna be okay, Nicole," I told her.  
Nicole looked at me and nodded a bit. "I know... Because you're with me." She said, breaking out into a smile.  
I smiled. "Damn straight."

 **A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you all liked this chapter... Promposal and all! I've got some preeeeeetty exciting new ideas in the making, and I cannot wait for the next chapters. I really think you guys are gonna like what I have planned.**

 **At least, I hope you're going to!**

 **Anyways, as I said before, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading this story, it's become much bigger than I could have ever imagine! #1 in #wayhaught on Wattpad? That's insane! Thank you so so much. I probably wouldn't have continued this story without all of you reading it! I appreciate you all :)**

 **xoxo,  
LyricalDisaster**


	23. Shopping

"Whatever ya want, Waverly. Just pick somethin' out and we'll get it for ya." Uncle Curtis told me as I looked through the rack of prom dresses.

Purgatory didn't have a very good selection to choose from, but I was determined to find the perfect dress.

"If she gets _whatever_ she wants, that prom dress is gonna double as a graduation dress, Curtis." Gus said, looking at Curtis with her eyebrows raised.  
Curtis waved her off. "She's got plenty of dresses for graduation. This is special," he responded.  
Gus rolled her eyes. " _Graduation_ is special. I'm happy for her and all, but damnit, Curtis. Don't go spending all our money just to send her to prom."

I sighed loudly, turning around to look at Gus. "Really? You're the one who encouraged me to ask her. After Wynonna did, of course. But you were the one who encouraged my whole "promposal" thing!" I exclaimed.  
Gus sighed. "Alright, fine. Just make sure the dress you pick is something you actually want, because we're not comin' back here for a while." She smiled at me.

I smiled back before continuing to go through the dresses. I came across a beautiful strapless aqua-colored dress. I looked at the tag and it read "Sherri Hill Feathered Tulle Mermaid Evening Gown". I took it off the rack and squealed, showing it to Gus and Curtis.

"This one is perfect! And it's my size!" I told them excitedly.  
Gus sighed. "Well, what are you waitin' for? Go try it on!" She responded.

I nodded, taking the dress over to the fitting room. When I got in there, I closed the curtains and began to undress. I slipped the dress on and called for Gus to help zip me up. She stepped through the curtains and smiled at me. She zipped up the back and I turned around to face her.

"Oh, Waverly. It's beautiful," she told me.  
I smiled, turning around to look in the mirror. "Of course, I'll have to wear a different bra, like a strapless one or those stick-on pads or whatever, but I think it's absolutely perfect." I said, admiring the dress.

"Hey, do I get to see this perfect dress or what?" Curtis called out.

Gus and I looked at each other, smiling.

I rolled my eyes a bit. "Yes, Uncle Curtis." I said before stepping out of the fitting room.

Curtis looked at me and he was absolutely speechless. I knew this dress was perfect.

"I'll be damned. It is perfect," Curtis said.  
I smiled at him. "You really think so?" I asked.  
He nodded. "You look beautiful, Waverly." He held his hand out to Gus, who took it and walked closer to stand at his side.  
Gus smiled at me. "Our beautiful niece."

I looked down, tears welling up in my eyes.

Gus put her hand on my shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong, kiddo?" She asked softly.  
I sniffled as the tears fell down my cheek. "I just- I wish Mama could be here..." I fought back a sob.  
Gus immediately wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a hug. "Oh, honey. I know... I miss her, too."

I cried in Gus's arms for a good ten minutes before I decided to change back into my clothes. When I got dressed, Curtis took the dress from me when I was done and we went to go pay for it.

The woman at the cash register smiled. "What's the occasion?" She asked kindly as she rang it up.  
"Prom. I'm going to prom," I answered. I smiled back at her.  
She nodded a bit. "This is a great dress for you. It'll look fantastic on the dance floor. Do you have a date?"  
I nodded. "Yeah, I do, actually."  
Her smiled seemed to fade a bit. "Well, he's a lucky guy."  
I blushed. "Oh, my date is actually a girl... My girlfriend," I corrected her.  
She smiled again. "That's lovely. She's very lucky then. You're a beautiful girl."

I blushed again as Curtis paid for the dress. I watched as the girl put the dress in cover, her hands careful with fabric. She would occasionally glance at me with a charming smile I didn't think girls could have. She stopped at some point to turn and write something on a small piece of paper. She folded the piece of paper up and then it seemed to just disappear.

She handed the dress to me and I went to take it from her, but froze when I felt my hand brush against hers.

I pulled my hand away. "Sorry," I apologized.  
She smiled at me. "Don't apologize. My name's Claire, by the way." She stuck her hand out to me.  
I smiled. "Waverly," I replied. When I took her hand to shake it, I felt a piece of paper in her palm. I had a feeling I knew what it was, but I didn't say anything. "Pleased to meet you, Claire."  
Claire smiled that charming smile again. "The pleasure is all mine, Waverly." The way she said "pleasure" made my heart pound.  
I swallowed nervously and pulled my hand away, taking the paper with me. I took the dress from her and flashed a nervous smile. "Thank you," I told her.  
She nodded. "Of course."

I turned around a little too quickly and walked towards the door.

 _I can't believe that just happened!_

I walked out to Curtis's truck and then stopped, turning my hand over and opening it.

The folded piece of paper she'd written on earlier...

I walked over and put the dress in the truck before unfolding the paper. I looked at it, and sure enough, scrawled in small, yet lovely handwriting, there was Claire's name and phone number.

"Shit," I groaned.  
"Language, Waverly." Gus scolded behind me.  
"Sorry," I apologized. I folded the paper again and tucked it into the pocket of my high-waisted jeans.

 _Should I tell Nicole?_

I shook my head a bit, climbing into the truck just as Gus and Curtis were. I sat in the small backseat quietly as Gus and Curtis talked about something. I wasn't exactly sure what they were talking about, but mostly because I wasn't really paying attention. Instead, I pulled Claire's number out of my pocket and stared at it. Stared, not because I wanted to use it, but because I didn't know if this was something to tell Nicole about.

I sighed, eventually deciding that I should, and pulled my phone out. I opened up my text conversation with Nicole and started typing.

 ** _WE: Hey, so, uh. Something happened earlier..._**  
 ** _NH: Should I be worried?_**  
 ** _WE: Nope._**  
 ** _NH: So, what is it then?_**  
 ** _WE: Well... I was out dress shopping with Gus and Curtis, and there was this... girl._** ** _Or-_** ** _woman, I guess? She looked about 20 or so._**  
 ** _NH: Ok... A woman, about 20 or so._**  
 ** _WE: And... I think she was flirting with me..._**

Nicole didn't respond for a few minutes, so I thought she wasn't going to at all. It was really nerve-racking. I just kept thinking of all the reasons she wasn't responding.

Like, was she upset with me? Was she jealous? Was she pissed off? Was she gonna dump me?

Finally, she texted back.

 ** _NH: You think?_**  
 ** _WE: Actually, I know she was._**  
 ** _WE: She gave me her phone number._**  
 ** _NH: Oh._**  
 ** _WE: I totally didn't ask for it. I didn't even give her a hint of interest. I swear._**  
 ** _NH: I know you didn't, baby. It's okay. Thank you for telling me, Waves._**  
 ** _WE: You know I only love you, right?_**  
 ** _NH: Yes, I know. And I only love you. You're my world, Waverly Earp._**  
 _ **WE: You're amazing.**_  
 _ **NH: Thank you**_ ** _, baby. So are you 3_**  
 _ **NH: Hey, speaking of dress shopping. Did you find anything?**_  
 _ **WE: I did. But you'll have to wait till prom night to see it ;)**_  
 _ **NH: :(**_  
 _ **NH: I bet it will be worth the wait.**_  
 _ **NH: You look gorgeous in everything you wear.**_  
 _ **WE: I love you.**_  
 _ **NH: And I love you.**_

I smiled at my phone before locking it, looking out the window. I thought of Nicole as I watched the buildings pass by. Simply thinking of her reminded me of how lucky I was to have her.

I've never loved someone more.

 **A/N: Okay, so this is totally a filler chapter. It's been a while, I know, and I apologize! I was babysitting for a while and then I went on vacation, but also I've been working on stuff for my comic book company,** **ZYRA** **Comics! We launched our website on August 8th, so if you guys would like to check it out, it's .com**

 **Thank you so much for reading this story, it means the world to me! I hope you guys like this short but sweet chapter!**

 **xoxo,**  
 **LyricalDisaster**


	24. Prom Night

It's the day of prom, and Nicole was over sitting on my bed in jeans and a t-shirt, with her back against the wall. She had her legs stretched out while she watched me look for some shoes that would match my dress.

"I could help you if you showed me the dress, baby." Nicole told me, playing with the hem of her shirt.  
I rolled my eyes. "No, not yet. You have to wait." I responded, giving her a side-eye.  
She let out a frustrated sigh. "But why? It's not like we're getting married. It's not bad luck for me to see you in your prom dress before prom."  
"I don't care. I found the perfect dress, and I want you to wait to see it."  
"Alright, fine."

I squealed as I found the perfect shoes in my closet and stood up. I set them over by the dress, which still had the cover over it.

"There we go. All ready for tonight," I smiled.  
Nicole smiled back. "Good. Come here," she said. She waved me over.

I looked at her, biting my lip as I walked over to the bed. I went to sit next to her, but she shook her head and patted her legs. I smiled as I climbed onto the bed, bringing my leg over to straddle her lap.

Nicole put her arms around my waist and I put mine around her neck. She smiled at me again and I blushed, running my thumbs over her dimples.

"I love you," she told me.  
I smiled. "I love you," I responded.

One of her hands moved to the back of my neck and she pulled me into a kiss. I kissed her back, moving my hands to her cheeks. Her hand slid down to my lower back.

Nicole pulled me closer to her as we kissed deeply and I felt like we were almost one person.

I pulled away and looked at her, taking her hands and placing them on my chest. Without hesitation, she squeezed my breasts, massaging them with her hands. Her hands felt amazing, even through fabric. I moaned as she leaned forward and kissed my neck as she touched me. I ran my fingers through her short, red hair, enjoying the feeling of her lips against my skin.

There were a few quick knocks on the door, prompting Nicole to retract her hands from my chest. I climbed off of her and fixed my shirt.

"Come in," I called out.

The door opened and Uncle Curtis walked in.

I smiled sweetly. "Hi, Uncle Curtis!" I greeted.  
Curtis smiled back. "Hey, sweet pea. You all set for prom?" He asked, stepping over to the bed. He sat down on the edge of it, next to Nicole's legs.  
I nodded. "Just about. Nicole just has to go home and get ready. Right, Nicole?" I said pointedly, looking at Nicole.  
Nicole was blushing and looking down at her lap. "Yep. Yeah," she said. She looked up at Curtis and flashed a smile. "I- I should probably go do that." She stood up and tried to leave.  
"Excuse me!" I exclaimed.  
Nicole stopped and turned to look at me. "What?" She asked, looking confused.  
"Where's my kiss?" I asked her, giving her a serious look.

She sighed and walked back over to me, leaning over to press a sweet kiss against my lips. I kissed her back and smiled when she pulled away.

"I will see you tonight. Okay, baby?" She told me.  
I nodded. "Can't wait," I replied.

Nicole smiled at me and then left the room, saying goodbye to Curtis on her way out.

Curtis sat there for a second, his hands in his pockets.

He cleared his throat and looked up at me. "So, uh... Prom night, huh?" He asked.  
I nodded. "Yep," I replied.

Curtis nodded slowly. "Now, I don't think I gotta tell ya to be careful. Ya know... Most kids when I was yer age wanted to go to prom for one reason, and one reason only. Guys, mostly. Which is why I would be tellin' you to be careful if you were still with Hardy James. But Nicole seems like a nice girl. She seems like she doesn't care about all that stuff. I can tell she loves you."  
I blushed, nodding. "I know she does. And I love her, too." I told him with a smile.  
Curtis smiled at me and held his arms out. "C'mere," he said.

I scooted closer to him and he wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug.

"I love you, little girl. Like you're my own daughter," he told me.  
I smiled, closing my eyes as I rested my head against his chest. "I practically am," I replied.  
Curtis chuckled. "Yeah, yer right about that. I definitely take better care of you than Ward ever did."  
"Yeah. You do."  
Curtis sniffled and sighed. He rubbed my shoulder. "Alright, kid. I'll let you get ready."

I nodded, moving away from him so he could stand up. When he did, he smiled at me again before leaving the room. He closed the door behind him and I sat there for a second, on my bed.

I stood up and went into the bathroom to take a shower. During the shower, I couldn't help but think about how lucky I was. I'm going to prom with someone who actually loves me. Someone who isn't just interested in my ass.

I smiled as I lathered myself in body wash, scrubbing the day away. I was mentally and emotionally prepared for tonight. Nothing could ruin this perfect night.

When I was finished, I rinsed off and got out, drying myself off. I wrapped my towel around my body, wrapping my hair up in a towel. I walked back into my room and got started on getting dressed.

I pulled on some underwear and put on my strapless bra. Keeping my hair in the towel, I took the dress out of its cover and laid it down on my bed.

I pulled the towel off of my head and dropped it next to the dress. I walked over to my dresser and grabbed my hair brush off of the top of it. I brushed my hair, watching myself in the mirror above my dresser.

"I'm going to prom," I said to the mirror.

I smiled, noticing the happy glint in my eyes I'd never seen before. I grabbed my hair dryer and plugged it in, turning it on. I used it to dry my hair before putting my hair up into a nice bun and doing my makeup.

When my makeup was finished, I put the dress on. I sighed when I remembered that I needed help to zip it up.

I opened my bedroom door and stepped out of the room a bit. "Aunt Gus?" I called out.  
"Yeah?" Gus called back.  
"Can you come zip me up?" I asked.  
"Oh! Right. I'll be right there, hon."

I walked back into my room, holding the dress to my chest as I looked at myself in the mirror. Gus stepped into my room, stopping short when she saw me.

"Oh, Waverly..." She said, smiling at me.  
I looked at her. "How do I look?" I asked, smiling back.  
She walked over. "Like a dream," she replied.

Gus stood behind me and zipped up the back of my dress. I released the front as the dress tightened to fit my body better.

I smiled at the sight of myself in the dress, feeling confident that I looked good.

"Thank you, Gus." I told her, turning around to hug her. "For everything," I added.  
Gus rubbed the back of my shoulder. "You're very welcome. Now finish getting ready. Nicole will be back soon." She told me with a smile, pulling away from the hug.

I smiled back as she left the room, turning to my dresser again. I put on a pair of earrings before looking through my jewelry box for a necklace.

I barely had enough time to find one by the time Gus and Curtis were calling me down, saying that Nicole had arrived.

I sighed, giving up. I put perfume on and closed the box, sitting down to out my shoes on. I stood up and grabbed my coat and clutch, putting the coat on before heading downstairs.

Nicole stood by the closed front door in a long purple dress. Her short hair was curled and she actually had makeup on!

... Not that I didn't think she knew how to do makeup, but-

Okay, fine. I didn't think she knew how to do makeup. But obviously she does, and she looks amazing.

I stepped off of the final step of the stairs and Nicole looked at me. She froze, her eyes scanning over me as I walked over to her.

"Wow... You... are a vision." Nicole told me as I stood in front of her.  
I snorted a bit, blushing. "Please... I barely had time to accessorize," I responded.  
Nicole chuckled. "See, I knew I wore this bracelet for a reason." She took her bracelet off of her wrist and smiled at me as she put it on mine.  
I smiled at her. "I love you so much," I told her.  
"And I love you." She leaned forward and pressed her lips against mine.

I kissed her back, taking her hand in mine. My eyes were closed as I smiled against her lips, and somehow, I knew she was smiling, too.

There was a flash and the sound of a camera clicking.

We reluctantly pulled away from the kiss to see Uncle Curtis with a camera.

Aunt Gus smacked his arm. "Dammit, Curtis. You interrupted them," she scolded.  
Uncle Curtis shrugged. "You told me to take pictures," he replied. He looked at Nicole and I, nodding. "C'mon. Picture time." He said, gesturing for us to pose.

We both chuckled and did as he said. I put my arm around Nicole's waist and she put her arm around my shoulders.

We held each other pretty close, smiling as Curtis took our pictures. Nicole turned her head and kissed my cheek, causing me to blush as I smiled widely. Curtis snapped a picture of it before Gus looked at her watch.

"Alright, girls. Time to go. You don't want to be late," she told us.

We nodded, turning towards the door. Suddenly, Nicole stopped me before I'd even touched the door knob.

"Oh. Wait," she said.  
I stopped and looked at her, confused. "What? Is something wrong?" I asked.  
Nicole shook her head. "Nope. Not at all. Just- Close your eyes." She told me, looking excited.  
I narrowed my eyes at her playfully. "What did you do?" I asked curiously.  
Nicole stood behind me. "Just close them," she responded.

I closed my eyes and Nicole's soft hands were placed over them.

"Oh- Nicole," I said. _What the hell is she doing?_  
"Shhhh. I'm making sure you aren't peeking," she spoke into my ear.  
I chuckled. "Okay, okay."

The front door opened and we started walking forward. Nicole was careful to make sure I didn't trip over anything or fall down the steps.

"Just- be careful." Nicole muttered, her hands still covering my eyes.  
"Babe, I'm trying."

I took a few more cautious steps forward before I felt Nicole stop me.

"Keep your eyes closed, okay? No peeking." Nicole told me, her hands still over my eyes.  
I sighed. "I am," I responded.

Her hands moved off of my eyes and stepped around me. I could hear the sound of a car door opening, then some rustling. She walked back over to me and took my hand. She slipped something onto my wrist and then stepped aside.

"Open your eyes, baby." Nicole whispered to me, holding onto one of my hands.

I opened my eyes and gasped when I saw a limousine parked in front of me. I looked down and saw a corsage on my wrist. I looked at her to see a matching flower pinned to her dress.

I looked back at the limo and shook my head, smiling. "I can't believe you did this, baby."  
Nicole shrugged. "Well, your Aunt Gus and Uncle Curtis did it... They wanted tonight to be extra special for you." She told me, smiling back.

I turned around to look at Gus and Curtis and they were standing there, smiling at us.

"Thank you," I told them.  
Aunt Gus waved me off. "Yeah, yeah. Just go enjoy prom with your girlfriend, alright?" She told me with a smile.  
I chuckled and nodded. "I will."

I gave them both kisses on their cheeks and then took Nicole's hand.

She led me over to the limo and we climbed inside. The door closed and the driver waited for us to put our seat belts on. When we did, she turned around and looked at us.

I froze when I saw her face.

It was Claire. The girl from the dress shop.

Claire looked at me, and then at Nicole. She seemed to pick up on the fact that I was with my girlfriend and gave a friendly smile. "So where we heading again?" She asked, making eye contact with me for a second too long.  
"Purgatory High School," I said quickly. I wanted this ride to be over as soon as possible.  
Claire nodded, flashing a smile. "Alright. Cool, cool."

She turned around and started the engine, pulling out of the spot she was parked in. She started driving, heading towards the school.

"So, you guys are going to prom, huh?" Claire asked as she drove.  
"Yeah, we are," Nicole responded. She had absolutely no idea who this girl was, and I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to tell her.  
Claire nodded slowly. "That's cool. Very cool. So you two are a couple... How long have you been together?" I could see her glance at me through the rearview mirror.  
I cleared my throat. "Nine months," I said. My tone was strong and serious as I looked at the mirror, waiting for Claire's eyes to meet mine.

They did. And when they did, I raised my eyebrows.

Claire looked away. "That's awesome. You two are a cute couple," she said.  
Nicole smiled and took my hand, interlocking our fingers. "Thank you," she replied.

When we pulled up to the school, Nicole got out of the limo first, closing the door behind her. She walked around to the other side to open my door.

The few seconds she was gone, I took a chance to say something to Claire.

"Stay here," I said. I pushed my purse away from me.

Before she could reply, Nicole was opening my door. I smiled at her as she helped me out of the back of the limo I fixed my dress and closed the car door, taking Nicole's hand and beginning to walk.

I stopped after a few seconds. "Crap! I forgot my purse!" I exclaimed.  
Nicole frowned. "Oh. I'll go get it for you," she said.  
I shook my head. "Oh, no, baby. I'll get it. Just- I'll meet you at the door, okay?"  
Nicole nodded. "Okay," she said. She kissed my cheek and headed towards the entrance.

I turned around and went back to the limo. I opened the door to the backseat and climbed in.

Claire looked at me, confused. "What's going on?" She asked.  
"What are you doing?" I asked, looking at her with a serious expression.  
"Working," Claire said.  
I scoffed. "No, I mean, why do you keep looking at me?"  
"What are you talking about?"  
"During the drive, Claire. You kept staring at me."  
"You look beautiful in your dress," Claire responded with a shrug.  
I shook my head. "Don't do that."  
Claire chuckled. "Don't do what?"  
I blinked at her. "That.. flirty thing."  
Claire sighed. "Waverly, go have fun with your girlfriend."  
"But you-"  
"Just stop and think really quick, why you're sitting in the back of my limousine talking to me... When you could be in there, enjoying your prom with your girlfriend of nine months."  
I narrowed my eyes at Claire. "Because..." I trailed off, realizing I didn't have an explanation.  
"Because?" Claire questioned.  
"Because you're flirting and I want you to stop." That was a good reason. I did want her to stop.  
Claire laughed wryly. "Okay, Waverly. Have a good night."

I grabbed my purse and left the limo in a huff. I closed the door and the limo drove away. I sighed and turned around to meet Nicole at the door. When I reached her, she smiled at me.

"Hey, what took you so long?" She asked.  
I chuckled. "Oh, I was just thanking the driver."  
Nicole smiled at me. "You're such a sweetheart." She kissed my cheek.  
I blushed. "Let's go inside, yeah, baby?"  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, baby, let's go."

She took my hand and we both walked inside together. There were a surprising amount of kids there, a lot of them dressed up very nicely. Our prom didn't have a theme, really, so everyone was wearing different types of outfits.

Nicole raised our hands a bit and smiled at me. "Waverly Earp, may I have this dance?" She asked me.  
I giggled. "You may," I replied.

Nicole laughed a bit and led me over to the dance floor. We started dancing to the song that was playing, not regarding anyone else around us. We laughed and danced, having a good time until we decided to take a break.

I sat down at one of the tables while Nicole went to go get us some food and punch. I smiled as I sat at the table, watching her from across the room.

Someone walked over and took a seat next to me. I looked over at them quickly, worried it might be Champ or Tucker, but was surprised to see my friend, Robin.

I smiled. "Robin! Hey! I didn't know you were here!" I exclaimed, hugging him.  
Robin smiled, hugging me back. "Hey, Waves. Yeah, I figured I should come since this is Senior prom, you know? Last chance to go to a school dance. I thought I had a dare, but he's here with a girl." He told me, his expression getting sad when he mentioned his "date".  
I frowned, pulling away from the hug. "Aw, I'm sorry to hear that... He doesn't deserve you."  
Robin smiled again. "Thanks. You've always been sweet to me, Waves."  
I smiled at him. "Hey, listen, if you're flying solo tonight, you're welcome to hang out with Nicole and I."  
Robin's face lit up. "Really? That would be awesome. Like, seriously awesome."  
I nodded. "Of course. You're my friend."

Just after I'd finished inviting Robin to hang out with us, Nicole walked back over to the table with two cups of punch.

Robin smiled and nodded at her. "Oh, hey, Red," he said.  
Nicole smiled back. "Hey, Robin, right?" She asked.  
Robin nodded happily. "Yeah, yeah. How's it going?" He asked, moving so she could sit.  
Nicole thanked him, setting the cups down. "Pretty good. Except I'm pretty sure the punch was spiked." She went to sit down, but stopped. "Do you want one?" She asked him.  
Robin shook his head. "Oh, no. I can get it. Don't worry about it. And it's not a Purg High event if the punch ain't spiked," he laughed.  
I laughed. "Yeah, that's true."  
Robin looked at me and nodded. "Right?"  
Nicole laughed. "Alright, well, I'm gonna go get some food. Do you want some, Robin?"  
Robin cringed. "You wanna eat the food here?" He asked.  
Nicole shrugged. "Well- yeah... I mean... Is there something wrong with it?"  
Robin shook his head. "I mean, other than the fact that... It's not good. There's a really good diner in the city, if you guys would rather eat there? I'll buy." He said, looking at the both of us.

Nicole and I looked at each other, unsure of what to say. I mean, we'd only been in the city once, so we'd never had the chance to get something to eat.

I shrugged. "I'd be okay with that," I said. I looked at Nicole, waiting for her response.  
Nicole shrugged before nodding. "Yeah, sure."  
Robin smiled. "Okay, cool. We can totally stay here for a while if you wanna enjoy your prom together?"  
Nicole smiled appreciatively. "Yeah, absolutely. Do you wanna come dance with us?" She asked him.

Robin nodded and stood up, following us to the dance floor.

We danced to happy pop songs and probably looked like total idiots, but it was fun. Having Robin there made it even better.

At some point, a slow song started playing, and Robin smiled at us.

"I'll leave you ladies to it," he said.

Before we could respond, he'd disappeared, and ended up back at the table.

We smiled at each other and Nicole stepped closer to me, putting her arms around my waist. I wrapped my arms around her neck and we started dancing, swaying back and forth to the song.

Nicole rested her forehead against mine and I smiled, closing my eyes.

Everything around us seemed to disappear, and suddenly it was me and her. Like we were the only ones who existed.

I loved her with every fiber of my being and I felt so happy and lucky to be hers.

"That's disgusting!" Someone shouted.

Nicole and I broke apart, looking towards the voice to see what was going on. A guy was looking right at us and pointing.

"No gays allowed!" He shouted again.  
"Seriously? We're just trying to enjoy prom." Nicole snapped, glaring at him.  
The guy, clearly drunk, walked over and got in Nicole's face. "We don't want you here, dyke." He spat, glaring right back at her.  
Robin walked over. "Hey, back off, alright? Derek. They're just trying to have a good night." He said, pulling the guy away from Nicole.

The guy, Derek, looked at Robin. For a second, it seemed like they knew each other. It didn't take long for me to piece it together that this guy was Robin's "date" he'd been talking about earlier.

Derek's soft expression hardened and he shoved Robin back. "Keep your hands off me, faggot," he snapped.  
"Woah, okay. That was unnecessary." I said, stepping forward.  
Robin put his hand up, shaking his head at me. "It's okay, Waves," he told me. He looked at Derek, the hurt evident on his face. "Takes one to know one." He said to Derek, the hurt expression shifting to a challenging one.  
"What did you say to me?" Derek asked, getting in Robin's face.  
Robin didn't back down. "I said... It takes one to know one." He said, his tone firm.

I put a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Come on, Robin. Don't do this." I whispered to him, trying to urge him to leave it.  
Robin looked at me and nodded. "Okay."

We turned around to leave, only to be stopped by Derek, who grabbed Robin by his shoulder and spun him around. He punched Robin in the face, knocking him down.

I yelped in surprise. "Oh my God! Robin!" I exclaimed.

Robin jumped up, his nose bleeding. He tackled Derek onto the ground and got on top of him, punching him.

Derek flipped them over, pinning Robin to the ground. Robin's legs were around Derek's abdomen as Derek pulled his arm back and punched Robin in the face again. He punched Robin repeatedly, causing his nose to bleed more, and kept going until two male chaperones stepped in.

One of them pulled Derek off of Robin while the other helped Robin up.

Robin held his arms up. "I was defending myself, I didn't do anything." He claimed, stepping away from Derek.  
Derek spat at Robin. "Screw you, fag!" He shouted.  
Robin pointed at him, looking at the chaperone who had helped him up. "See? See what he's doing? He's calling me names and he punched me in the face." Robin said, gesturing to the blood on his face.

The chaperone shook his head. "Come on, both of you need to leave." He said, gesturing to the door.  
Derek shook his head. "This is bullshit!" He yelled. He took his date's hand and left.

Robin sighed, looking at me and Nicole. We walked over to him and put our arms around him. He smiled a bit as we led him out of the gymnasium.

"I'm really sorry if I ruined your night," Robin told us.  
Nicole shook her head. "You didn't, Robin. You were really brave, defending us the way you did." She told him, hugging him with one arm and resting her head on his shoulder.  
I nodded. "You really were... I'm just sorry that you got hurt." I said, frowning.  
Robin shrugged. "It was worth it. I couldn't let him talk to you guys like that. Self-hating dickwad," he muttered.  
"Was he the guy you were supposed to come with?" I asked him.  
Robin nodded. "Yeah..." Tears welled up in his eyes and he broke down, crying.

I walked over and hugged him. He lowered his head, resting his forehead against mine. Nicole was hugging him, too, her head still rested on his shoulder. She rubbed his back soothingly as he cried in our arms.

Eventually he calmed down and we went to go eat at the diner he'd told us about.

Robin took his tuxedo jacket off, setting it down before taking his bowtie off as well. He laid them on the booth and unbuttoned a few of the buttons on his white button-up shirt.

One of the waitresses brought him a damp cloth to wipe the blood off of his face. Nicole and I sat next to each other while he did so.

I watched him with worried eyes. "Does your nose hurt?" I asked, noticing the forming bruises on his face.  
Robin shrugged. "Kind of. It's okay, though."  
I was still concerned. "Maybe we should ask for ice..."  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea."

I raised my hand and waved at the waitress to get her attention. She nodded, walking over.

"Yes?" She asked.  
"Can we get some ice for our friend's nose, please?" I asked in a very sweet tone.  
She nodded. "Of course. I'll be right back with that, and then I'll take your order."

With that, she left, leaving us alone at the table once again.

Robin sighed, putting the rag down. "I can't believe he hit me... I thought we had something, you know? But he was lying to me the whole time."  
Nicole reached over and took his hand. "I'm sorry, Robin... You'll find someone better."  
Robin smiled at her. "You know... You're not bad, Red." He said with a chuckle.  
Nicole laughed a bit. "Neither are you."

The waitress brought over the ice for Robin and then took our orders. We sat and talked all through dinner before we eventually went home. Nicole came back to my house, while Robin went home to his own.

We made plans to hang out with him soon, probably after graduation.

We walked into the house and saw Gus sitting on the couch, watching TV.

She smiled when we walked in. "Hey, you two. How was prom?" She asked.  
We smiled. "It was perfect," I said.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, we had a lot of fun," she added before kissing my cheek.  
"Well, I'm glad. You should get to sleep now. It's pretty late," Gus told us.

We nodded. I walked over and said goodnight to Aunt Gus, kissing her cheek.

Nicole and I went upstairs and went into my room. When we got up there, we both changed out of our dresses and took turns taking showers.

Nicole walked into my room as I finished getting dressed, her body wrapped in a towel as she used another towel to dry her hair.

I smiled at her when she walked into the room. "Did you enjoy your shower, baby?" I asked her as I laid on my stomach in my shorts and tank top.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, I did. Do you have something I can wear?" She asked.  
I pointed at the dresser. "There's some of your clothes left in the top drawer. Sweatpants and a tank top, I think. Oh, and some underwear." I told her, saying the last part with a smirk.  
Nicole blushed and smiled. "Thanks, baby."

She walked to the dresser and opened the top drawer. She pulled the clothes out of it and closed it, turning to leave the room.

"You can change in here, you know." I told her, resting my chin on my hand.  
Nicole turned around. "Oh. Are... Are you sure?" She asked hesitantly.  
I giggled. "It's nothing I haven't seen before, baby."  
"That's absolutely true, but I mean, we haven't seen each other naked since..." Nicole trailed off and I knew what she was talking about.  
I nodded. "I know."  
Nicole looked at me, seemingly surprised. "And you still want me to change in here?"  
I shrugged. "Why not? I mean, I've changed in front of you before."

Nicole nodded slowly, agreeing with me. She gave a shrug and then set the clothes back down. She dropped both towels to the ground and grabbed the underwear first, slipping them on.

I watched her for a few seconds before looking away. I decided it wasn't polite to stare, even if she is my girlfriend.

When I looked back at her, she was fully dressed, wearing the tank top with no bra. She walked over to the bed and bent down to kiss me.

I happily kissed her back, smiling against her lips. The kiss was passionate... So passionate to the point where it kind of turned me on.

When she pulled away, I opened my eyes and looked at her.

"What was that for?" I asked her, smiling.  
Nicole smiled back. "What? I can't kiss my girlfriend?" She asked, leaning in again.  
"Oh, you definitely can..." I pulled back slightly. "Especially if it's like that."

Nicole chuckled and her lips pressed against mine in another passionate kiss.

"Mmm," I moaned against her lips.

Nicole smiled into the kiss, pushing on my shoulder to get me to roll over onto my back.

I did what she wanted and she climbed on top of me, one of her legs rested between mine.

She held herself up above me, kissing me desperately. Not desperate in a bad way... Desperate for me. Desperate in the way I've been wanting her to be.

I moved my hands down to her ass, grabbing it and pulling her down, making her grind against my leg.

Nicole broke the kiss to let out a gasp. I grabbed her ass again, creating the friction once again.

Nicole moaned quietly. I kissed her cheek, slipping my hands into her sweatpants and under her underwear. I grabbed her ass again, causing her body to tense up a bit.

I moved one of my hands around to the front, touching Nicole's center. She moaned at the contact, burying her face in my neck. I let out a moan as well, feeling how turned on she was... How much she wanted me.

"You're so wet, baby." I muttered in her ear as I slowly began to rub her clit.

Nicole moaned in response, not speaking words. I chuckled, kissing her neck as I slipped two fingers inside of her.

Nicole's whole body reacted, tensing up as she let out a moan.

"Shhhh. Quiet," I reminded her in a teasing whisper.

I pushed my fingers deeper inside and she moved against them, doing her best to be as quiet as possible.

"Does that feel good, baby?" I asked her in a quiet voice.  
Nicole nodded.  
"I can't hear you..." I teased, nipping at her earlobe and pushing my fingers deeper, curling them to hit her g-spot.  
Nicole's body jerked and she let out a whimpering moan.  
"You didn't answer me, Nicole... Does that feel good?" I asked again.  
Nicole let out a muffled moan. "Y-yeah," she breathed.

I smiled, pleased with myself for what I was doing to her.

"Faster, baby..." Nicole panted.  
"Faster?" I asked.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah," she told me.  
I continued to push my fingers in slowly. "I don't think so, baby..."

Nicole whimpers, her hips moving to meet my fingers.

"I think I wanna tease you..." I whispered in her ear.  
"Ohh, my God-" Nicole moaned.

I smiled, pulling my fingers out of her vagina. I began to rub her clit slowly, causing her to tremble a bit.

"Baby, your hands are amazing..." Nicole moans.

I pulled my hand out of her pants after she said that, causing her to whimper in protest.

"Nooo," she whined. "Waverlyyyyy..."

I bit down on the skin of her neck gently and she moaned.

"Take your clothes off." I told her, my voice as seductive as I could make it.

Nicole looked at me, shocked, but did as I said. She got up and took her clothes off, though she'd just put them on not too long ago.

I stood up after her and took my own clothes off. When she'd taken her clothes off, I pushed her back onto the bed. She laid down and I opened her legs before running my hands over her naked body.

"I love your body so much, baby." I said, sliding my hands up her smooth, flat stomach. I ran my hands over her boobs, massaging them. Nicole's back arched a bit and I leaned down to kiss in between her boobs. My hands slid under her back, holding her body close to me as I continued to kiss every inch of exposed skin.

I trailed kisses to her right boob, taking her nipple into my mouth and sucking on it.

"Oh, baby..." Nicole breathes.

I smiled as I grazed her nipple with my teeth ever so slightly, careful not to do it too hard.

Nicole moaned, her fingers running through my hair as I took her breast into my hand, continuing to suck on her nipple.

"Oh, Waves..." Nicole moans.

I moved to her opposite breast, doing the same as I did the other one. When I felt that I'd done enough, I began to kiss down Nicole's body. I ran my hands down her sides, feeling her soft skin.

I kissed and nipped at Nicole's stomach as I went down closer to between her legs. I smiled as she squirmed under me, moaning very quietly.

I settled down between her legs, laying on my stomach. Nicole looked down at me, her eyes dark with lust. I turned my head, kissing and biting her inner thighs, enjoying the sounds she was making as I did so.

I looked up at her, making eye contact as I leaned forward, ready to lick her. Nicole watched me, nodding, her body tensing up as she got ready for the pleasure.

I leaned back before blowing air on her soaking wet center. Nicole's body twitched, and she let out a whimper.

Her whimpers turned me on so much because I'd never heard her get like this...

I blew on her pussy again, smirking as she whimpered slightly louder.

"Baby, please..." She begged.  
I bit my lip. "What's that?" I asked, smirking still.  
Nicole whined. "Please, Waverly... Please," she begged again.  
I tilted my head to the side, feigning innocence. "Please what? What do you want, baby?" I blew again.  
"I want you to eat me out... Please, baby... I wanna feel your tongue inside me..." Nicole whined.

I moaned, her words turning me on more than I thought I could ever be.

Without a word, I opened my mouth and started licking her, swirling my tongue around her clit.

I closed my eyes, enjoying the sound of her moans. I loved knowing that I was the one making her feel this way.

I wrapped my arms around her thighs, using my hands to spread her lips open as I continued to eat her out. I slipped my tongue inside of her and she moaned a bit louder than before. I opened my eyes, looking at her.

Almost immediately after the sound had come out of her mouth, Nicole put her left hand over her mouth, her right hand in my hair.

I continued, slipping my tongue in and out of Nicole's vagina, her hips moving instinctively.

"Oh, f-" Nicole closed her eyes and threw her head back. "Oh, God... Waverly," she moaned.

I chuckled, slipping my tongue out of her and swirling it around her clit again.

Nicole moaned again, lifting her head. She opened her eyes to look at me. "Baby, that feels so good..." She told me, her voice low.  
I slipped two fingers inside of her hole before removing my mouth from her clit. "Yeah?" I asked, slipping my fingers deep inside her.  
She moaned slightly louder. "Oh, yeah... God, you're so amazing, Waves..."

I put my mouth on her clit, licking and sucking on it as I began to thrust my fingers in and out of her.

Nicole was a mess, muttering things I couldn't understand, her hips rocking against my hand and mouth as I fucked her.

I pushed my fingers in deeper, curling them to see if I could hit her g-spot. This caused her whole body to tremble, her moans getting louder than they should have been. I knew we had to be quiet, but I loved her reaction so much that I had to do it again. So I did.

Nicole's body trembled again, her hips moving so fluidly against my hand that it was like she wasn't even trying to move them anymore.

I crawled back up to her, my fingers still pushing deep inside of her, and pulled her into a kiss to muffle her moans. She moaned against my lips a few times, but pulled away accidentally just as she was about to come.

"Oh, God, Waves... You're gonna make me come," she moaned.  
"Yeah, baby? Come for me," I moaned into her ear.

Nicole's body tensed up suddenly and I covered her mouth as she let out a loud moan, her body trembling with pleasure. I slowed my fingers, drawing out Nicole's orgasm, chuckling as her body shook in response to the overstimulation.

I pulled my fingers out of her after a couple more minutes and licked them clean.

Nicole's body relaxed and she let out an airy laugh. "Wow... That was... amazing..." She said, looking at me.  
I smiled. "Yeah?" I asked.

Nicole nodded, pulling me into a kiss. Her lips pressed against mine sweetly, her thumb caressing my cheek.

She pulled away. "I hope I wasn't too loud..." She muttered, cringing.  
I laughed. "Oh, you were very loud," I told her.  
Her eyes widened. "I was? Oh, God!" She covered her face in embarrassment. "What if they heard?"  
I laughed. "I doubt they heard... Besides, it's prom night... What did they expect?" I joked, trailing kisses from Nicole's shoulder to her neck.

She laughed and pushed me off, flipping us over so that she was on top.

"Uh-uh... I don't think so..." She told me. She pinned my hands above my head and brushed her nose against mine. "It's your turn." She said, her voice low and filled with lust.  
I moaned. "Oh, is it?"  
Nicole nodded. "Oh, yeah..."

She kissed me passionately, and I moaned against her lips. She held my arms above my head, making it so I couldn't move to touch her.

Nicole pulled away from the kiss and looked at me. "Sit on my face, baby."  
I blushed madly. "What?"

Nicole laughed a bit, moving to lay on her back. She gestured for me to climb on top of her and I did, straddling her abdomen.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked her, confused.  
Nicole moved her hair out of the way. "Just scoot up until you're sitting... right here." She instructed, pointing at her mouth.

I blushed even brighter, nervous about what was happening.

"O-okay," I told her.

I did as she said, scooting up so that my pussy was right over her mouth. I opened my mouth to ask her a question, but I was stopped by the feeling of Nicole's tongue on my clit.

"Oh, shit." I moaned, closing my eyes and throwing my head back as she began to eat me out, her hands running up and down my body.

She swirled her tongue around my clit before grabbing me by my hips and pulling me so that practically all of my weight was on her. She grabbed at my ass, encouraging me to grind on her face.

I started moving my hips as she stuck her tongue out, my pussy rubbing against it.

It felt absolutely amazing that I could barely keep quiet. I bit my lip to muffle my moans as Nicole slipped her tongue inside me.

I was completely lost in everything, the only thoughts running through my head were focused on what we were doing. I started to move myself up and down on Nicole's extended tongue, occasionally rolling my hips, enjoying the feeling of Nicole's tongue inside my hole.

The pleasure kept building up and I started to move my hips faster and faster.

"Baby, you're so good at that. Oh, god, yes." I moaned, riding her tongue faster. I was careful not to get too excited because I didn't wanna hurt her.

Nicole's tongue went deeper inside and she began to move it around. I slowed down, allowing her to go as deep as she could to see if she could get my g-spot with her tongue.

One specific swipe with her tongue made by body tremble, and I moaned loudly. I ran my fingers through Nicole's soft hair, looking down at her.

The sight of her under me, my pussy grinding against her mouth, was so hot that I moaned out loud just from looking at her.

"Mmm, baby, that's so hot… I love watching you eat me out… You eat my pussy so good," I moaned.

Nicole moaned in response to my words, her hands moving my hips, telling me to go faster.

I listened, riding her tongue again, moving faster and faster. I threw my head back, moaning loudly.

I bit my lip, realizing I needed to be quiet, and looked down at Nicole. "God, yes, just like that. Oh, Nicole… you're gonna make me come, baby. Ohhhh, my God…"

Nicole smirked as she started to move my hips herself, moving me faster.

"That feels so good. Oh, God… I'm gonna- Oh- Ni- Nicole… Shit, I'm gonna come.." I moaned.

One of her hands reached around my leg and started rubbing my clit. I reached forward and gripped the headboard of my bed.

I bit my lip as I felt myself climax, my entire body tensing up before trembling hard as I came. I cried out, still trying to keep quiet, and Nicole chuckled under me. Her tongue slipped out of my vagina and she licked up my pussy slowly until she reached my clit. One little touch with her tongue, and my body convulsed. I let out another whimpering moan and then Nicole removed her mouth altogether.

My body relaxed and climbed off of her, laying next to her on the bed and kissing her passionately.

I pulled away, smiling at her. "That was amazing..." I told her.  
Nicole smiled back. "You're amazing," she responded.  
"I love you," I told her.  
She kissed my forehead. "And I love you," she whispered.

We got up and out our pajamas back on before turning off the lights and getting into bed.

I cuddled up against Nicole, her arms wrapped around me, and let out a happy sigh. I closed my eyes

Seems like prom night was a success.

 **A/N: Hey, everyone! So sorry this chapter took so long (also sorry it is so long because like holy shit 7368 words?). I hope y'all are okay with the smut at the end. I know I keep saying that they say they're not gonna do it anymore, but like... We both know teenage WayHaught would not be able to stick by that... They can barely keep their hands off each other as adults XD**

 **That was a joke lmao.**

 **Anyways. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter... Please let me know what you think!**

 **Also thank you for being patient with me when I had those publishing accidents... I'm so sorry once again... I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Thank you for reading!**

 **xoxo,**  
 **LyricalDisaster**


	25. The Morning After

I woke up with Nicole's arms around me, her nose pressed against the side of my face. I smiled to myself, closing my eyes, enjoying the feeling of Nicole's arms around me.

Nicole inhaled through her nose and tensed up, stretching her body as she yawned. One of her hands slid down to my thigh and I felt her lips press against my temple. I chuckled, smiling as she kissed my temple again.

"Good morning, baby." Nicole whispered in my ear, leaning down to kiss my jawline.  
I smiled, leaning into her. "Mmm, good morning, my love." I replied, opening my eyes and turning to face her.  
Nicole smiled at me, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "You're so beautiful..." She told me.  
I blushed. "You're amazing," I responded.

Nicole kissed my lips softly, pulling me closer to her. I let out a quiet moan as her body pressed against mine. I slipped my hand under her shirt, feeling her soft skin as I pushed my hand up her back.

I deepened the kiss, smiling when I hear Nicole let out a quiet moan.

She pulled away after a few seconds, brushing her nose against mine. "You wanna do it again?" She asked quietly.  
I nodded. "Can we?"  
Nicole chuckled. "Of course, baby."

I smiled and kissed her, dragging my nails down her back gently. She moaned quietly, her hands sliding down to grab my ass.

I moaned as Nicole bit my bottom lip, pulling it back just a bit. I pulled away and sat up, pulling my shirt off. I tossed it onto the floor as Nicole did the same, taking her own shirt off and tossing it with mine. I decided to waste no time and took my pants off as well. When Nicole noticed that I had, she took her own off and climbed back onto the bed.

She pushed me down onto the bed and kissed me hard. I moaned as she settled between my legs, grinding against me as I wrapped my legs around her waist. I pulled away from the kiss and moaned out loud without thinking, enjoying the feeling of Nicole's hips moving against mine.

My fingers tangled up in her hair, Nicole leaned down and kissed my neck, her hands running all over my body. I leaned my head back to give her more room, moaning and squirming underneath her.

Nicole nipped and sucked at my neck, and I didn't care about any marks she might leave. I enjoyed every second of what was happening.

I reached down and started to pull on her underwear. "Take them off," I told her.

Nicole adjusted herself so she could do as I said, and pulled her underwear off. She tossed them to the floor and I started to push mine down. Nicole stopped my hands, pinning them above my head for a few seconds.

She kissed my neck again and then began to kiss down my body. She was slow and teasing, kissing and licking and nipping at every bit of skin she passed over, making me moan. She grazed her teeth against the area just under my belly button.

I could feel my clit throbbing every second she got closer to the space between my legs. I wanted her so bad that it almost hurt.

Nicole ran her hands over my body, kissing my clit through the fabric of my panties. I moaned, shivering with pleasure as Nicole massaged my boobs. She moved away from my center, causing me to whimper quite loudly in protest.

"Nicoooole," I whined. I squirmed, moving my hips desperately to search for some type of pleasure.  
"Wait, baby. You have to wait..." Nicole responded in a low, sexy tone.

I whimpered again as Nicole kissed the insides of my thighs, her hands massaging every part of my body they ran over. Eventually, Nicole took my underwear off, tossing them to the floor. She blew air on my pussy, causing my body to tremble.

I groaned, moving my hips. "Please, baby... Stop teasing meee," I whined.

Nicole chuckled quietly and crawled up to kiss me, pressing her lips against mine in a passionate kiss as she settled her body between my legs. She pulled away from the kiss and looked at me, making eye contact. She adjusted her body so that her center was right above mine before lowering herself slightly. I threw my head back, moaning at the feeling of her pussy against mine.

Nicole chuckled, moving her hips so that her center was rubbing against mine. It was wet and warm and it felt amazing. I ran my hands down Nicole's back, wrapping my legs around her waist as she began to grind against me. We both moaned at the same time, my hands now on Nicole's hips as she held herself up. The more she moved her hips, the better it felt and more we both moaned.

"Oh, God." Nicole moaned, her hips moving faster.  
"Mmm, baby... You feel so good," I moaned.

I slid my hands down further, grabbing Nicole's ass as she sped up. I moaned quite loudly as the pleasure I felt began to increase, getting more and more intense.

Nicole stopped for a second, climbing off of me to change her position. She put one leg over mine and then lowered herself again, pressing our vulvas together once again. She lifted my other leg, adjusting herself before grinding against me again. I whimpered as she went faster, biting my lip to stop myself from moaning too loud.

"Oh, my God. Yes, yes, yes. God, that feels so good, baby. Don't stop." I breathed, reaching to grip the headboard of my bed.

Nicole's eyes were closed, her head back, and her mouth open slightly as she moaned. She went faster, her eyebrows furrowing as she lowered her head. She slowed down, rolling her hips in such a sexy way that I was mesmerized by her body. I ran my hand up her side, feeling her soft skin... Her curves... Her muscles as they contracted under my hand...

 _God, she's amazing..._

I grabbed her hand. "Come here," I told her.  
Nicole looked at me and whined. "I don't w-" She closes her eyes, moaning. "I don't wanna stop..."  
I pulled on her hand gently. "I wanna kiss you, baby, come here."

Nicole climbed off of me reluctantly and then shifted back into her original position, my legs wrapped around her waist. She looked at me, her pupils dilated, darkening her eyes. I remembered that apparently your pupils dilate when you're turned on or looking at something you find attractive or visually appealing. My mind drifted to how cool that was, and that it was awesome to know that it was true, but then I felt Nicole's vulva against mine again and I was back to being focused on her...

 _She feels so good. Oh, wow._

Nicole leaned down, her lips pressing against mine in a passionate kiss. I moaned against her lips, my fingers in her short hair. Our lips remained locked as our bodies moved against each other. Nicole only broke the kiss for a few seconds to let out a pleasure-filled moan, which I loved to hear.

I moaned, putting my hands on her hips again. "Go faster, baby. Please, go faster." I begged, running my hands up her back and then dragging my nails down again.

Nicole's back tensed up, moaning quietly at the feeling of my nails. She proceeded to go faster, her clit rubbing against mine. I felt myself getting closer and began to rock my hips against hers, moaning a bit louder than I'd intended.

"I'm so close... Oh, Nicole. Keep going, I'm gonna-" I moaned as Nicole continued at a fast, steady pace.  
"Waverly, I'm gonna c- I- I- Ohhh, wow..." Nicole moaned as I leaned up and kissed her neck, nipping and sucking at her skin.

I felt her body begin to tense up as she began to go faster, panting and moaning. I bit down on her neck, knowing that I'd send her over the edge. Sure enough, Nicole came. Hard.

"Oh, Waverly!" Nicole cried out as she came, her body trembling against mine.

Feeling her body shake, her pussy still rubbing against mine caused me to explode and I came right after she did, my body tensing up and my back arching.

"Nic- oh, my-"

Nicole's body shook from the overstimulation of her clit, causing her to let out quiet little moans. My body trembled a couple of times before we both relaxed completely. Nicole moved down just a bit and laid flat on top of me, her head resting on my chest. We both let out airy chuckles as we laid there, panting.

"Wow..." I breathed, completely amazed at how fantastic that experience had been.  
Nicole chuckled. "I know..." She responded, smiling.  
I ran my fingers through her hair, my other hand gently caressing the back of her shoulder. "That was..."  
"Special?"  
I smiled. "Amazing?"  
Nicole lifted her head and looked at me. "Perfect."

I blushed and lifted my head slightly so I could press a sweet kiss to her lips. Nicole kissed back, smiling against my lips. I pulled away after a few seconds and smiles at her.

"I love you, Nicole Haught." I told her, smiling as I ran my fingers through her hair.  
She smiled back, her dimples showing. "I love you too, Waverly Earp."

I blushed, smiling as Nicole rested her head on my chest once again.

We laid in my bed for another hour or so before getting up and taking showers... Again.

Nicole went first, getting dressed before me. After I was done with my shower, she had put on some of her clothes she'd found in my closet, which had included a bra.

I smiled at her as I walked into the room, my towel wrapped around my body. I walked over to my dresser and grabbed a bra and some underwear, dropping my towel to put them on. I picked the towel back up and used it to dry my hair, not paying attention to Nicole.

Suddenly, her arms were around my waist and she was kissing my shoulder. I smiled, putting my hand on hers and leaning back into her.

"This is nice." I sighed, closing my eyes as Nicole kissed my neck.  
Nicole chuckled a bit. "It is," she agreed.

I opened my eyes and looked in the mirror, smiling at the sight of us together. We definitely looked like a couple.

"Look at us, baby." I told her, smiling at our reflection.  
Nicole looked up and smiled. "We look like a couple." It was like she read my mind!

After a few more seconds of standing there, Nicole eventually went back to sit down, allowing me to finish getting dressed.

When I was done, we put our shoes on and went downstairs. We were not expecting Gus and Curtis to be sitting at the kitchen table, seemingly waiting for something.

"Well, well. Good mornin', love birds." Curtis said, glancing at us from his newspaper.  
I flashed a smile. "Good morning," I replied.  
Nicole nodded. "Good morning," she spoke after me.  
Gus looked at us. "Seems like you two had one hell of a morning. And night." She said, one of her eyebrows raised.

When she said that, we put two and two together, realizing that we had been a lot louder than we thought.

"Oh, God." I groaned, covering my face.  
"Yeah, that's right, baby girl. We heard everything. You two aren't as quiet as you think." Gus said, her voice filled with slight discomfort, but it was also clear she was teasing us.

"I- I am so sorry. I wasn't- I- I didn't- I'm- I'm sorry. We shouldn't have been doing it. It- it won't happen again. I swear," Nicole panicked.

I looked at her and she looked like she was going to have a panic attack. I put my hand on her shoulder.

Gus shook her head. "I don't care if you girls are having sex. I'd just prefer to not hear it," she assured Nicole.  
Nicole's expression softened. "You don't care?" She asked.

"No. Why should I? It's your business, it's legal. It's consensual. As long as you're not forcing Waverly to do anything she doesn't want to, it's completely fine." Gus explained, looking at Nicole with soft eyes. "Besides, it's not like you can get her pregnant."

Nicole laughed a bit. "That's true. And I would never force Waverly to do anything..." She froze for a second. "Wait... You said it's legal?"  
Gus nodded. "Yeah. She's sixteen, not fourteen. You're only, what? A year? Two years older than her?"  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Two years." She answered, looking at me. "It's legal?"  
I shrugged. It was news to me. "I didn't know."

I looked at Gus and opened my mouth to speak, when suddenly my phone began to vibrate in my back pocket.

"Ooh!" I exclaimed, surprised by the strange feeling. I pulled it out and looked at it. "It's Robin!"

I pressed the green button and held the phone to my ear. "Hey!" I greeted.  
 _"Hey! Are_ _you busy?"_ Robin asked.  
"Ah, kind of. Nicole and I are talking to my aunt Gus right now. What's up?"  
 _"I was just curious. I kinda wanted to see if you wanted to hang out."_  
"Oh. Yeah, totally. Just give us a few minutes, okay?"  
 _"For sure. Take your time. But I'm kind of outside your aunt's house right now."_

I furrowed my eyebrows and walked over to the window, peeking through the curtains. Sure enough, Robin was outside, standing across the street.

I chuckled. "Okay, we'll be out in a bit."  
 _"Okay. See you then."  
_ "Okay."

I hung up and walked back over to Nicole and Gus. "Sooo, Robin Jett wants to hang out... Is it okay if we go?" I asked Gus, considering we were had been in the middle of a conversation.  
Gus gave a nod. "I don't see why not. Go ahead. But make sure you're home at a decent time. You got school tomorrow," she told me.  
I nodded quickly. "Of course. Thanks, Aunt Gus!" I kissed her cheek and then went to give Curtis a hug.

Nicole and I said bye and then headed outside, where Robin was waiting. He turned around when the front door opened and smiled at us, squinting from the sunlight. I winced a bit when I saw his face. His nose was bruised, as was the side of his face, next to his eye. He looked much worse than he had last night. At least he'd gone home, though. His clothes were different.

"Hey, Robin." Nicole greeted as we approached him, a smile on her face.  
"Hey, Heat," Robin responded with a smirk.  
I hugged him when I reached him and he hugged back, wrapping his long arms around me. "How are you doing? After last night?" I asked after I'd pulled away.  
Robin gave a shrug. "I've been better. Derek texted me," he replied. His smirk faded and his expression looked sad.  
I frowned. "What did he say?"  
"Just that he's sorry about what happened. That he was drunk and didn't mean the things he said and he still wanted to see me. I told him to piss off," Robin answered. He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I mean, I get that he was drunk... But that's not an excuse to act like that. I don't wanna be with a guy who's a dick when he drinks, ya know?" He asked, looking down at his feet.

Nicole stepped forward and rubbed his shoulder. "Yeah. We know what you mean." She put her arm around him. "C'mon, Robin. We'll buy you breakfast."

I took Robin's hand, holding it tightly as Nicole and I led him to her car. I decided to sit in the back with Robin, even though I would have sat in the passenger seat. I wanted to help him feel better, so I sat next to him and held his hand. I didn't know if it was helping, but I felt like it was at least a start.

When we got to the diner that Nicole and I had gone to our first night hanging out, I didn't let go of Robin's hand. I even sat next to him in the booth while Nicole sat across from us. I let go of Robin's hand eventually and we kinda just sat next to each other while we looked at the menu.

"Hey, Waves, do you still get cinnamon roll pancakes here?" Robin asked with a smile.  
I looked at him, smiling back. "Uh, yeah! They're the best," I replied.  
Robin laughed. "I'll get that, too."  
I bumped my shoulder against his gently. "Good choice," I joked.

The waiter came by to take our orders and when he'd finished, we handed our menus to him and he walked off to get us our drinks.

"So what are your plans after graduation?" Robin asked after a few minutes of some pretty awkward silence.  
"Oh, I'm going to go to a police academy in the city," Nicole answered first. Even though I already knew about it, it still hurt to hear.  
Robin's eyebrows furrowed. "The city? But that's hours away," he pointed out.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, but Waverly and I talked about it. I promised her it won't be forever. That I'll be back in Purgatory at some point." She explained to him, smiling at me.  
Robin looked at me, his expression sad. "What will you be doing until then?" He asked.  
I shrugged. "Going to school... Working... Getting my driver's license so I can visit her while she's in the academy. I mean, she'll be doing college coursework for two years, and then police training for about three to four months," I told him.  
"And you'll be getting your degree in Ancient Cultures and Languages..." Nicole added, trailing off as she took my hand from across the table.  
I smiled at her. "I'll definitely be working on it," I said.

Robin smiled at us. "You two are cute," he gushed.  
I giggled and nudged him. "What are you gonna do?" I asked.  
He shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. "I dunno. I was thinking of majoring in Jazz History," he told us.  
Nicole smiled. "Jazz history?"  
Robin nodded, smiling widely. "Hell, yeah! I love jazz! Oh, and astronomy. Maybe I could minor in astronomy. What do you think?" He asked, looking at both of us.  
I chuckled, shrugged. "I think that's a great idea, Robin."

The waiter brought our drinks, which was just coffee for Nicole and Robin, and a tea for me. He told us that our food would be ready very soon and we thanked him. While we waited, Nicole and Robin continued to talk about their plans after high school and what they wanted to do. I sat with my tea, letting the teabag steep for a little while longer. I was thinking about Nicole leaving and I began to get sad.

I mean, she's not leaving right after graduation, so I'll get to spend the summer with her... But I don't think I'm ready for her to leave... Not for two years.

What would I do without her for so long? I could barely handle it when she moved back into her grandmother's house. After sharing a bed with her for so long, it just wasn't the same.

"Waverly? Waves!" Nicole spoke, putting her hand on my arm.  
I looked at her. "What?" I asked, confused. I was so stuck in my own head that I'd forgotten what was happening around me.  
Nicole's eyebrows furrowed as she caressed my arm with her thumb. "You okay?" She asked, her tone laced with concern.  
I nodded and flashed a smile, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "Of course, baby."

Nicole nodded, not letting go of my hand. She turned her attention back to Robin, who put his arm around me and rubbed my shoulder in a soothing manner. I smiled a bit, rubbing the back of Nicole's hand with my thumb. I took a sip of my tea as I looked out the window next to me. I could hear Nicole and Robin talking next to me, but I wasn't listening. I was in my thoughts again, thinking about what I was gonna do when Nicole left.

I knew what I _wanted_ to do, but was it a viable plan? I mean, would I actually be able to do it?

 _Well. Guess I'll have to find out._

The rest of breakfast was kind of a blur. Robin and Nicole's conversation was cut short when the waiter brought our plates out and we began eating. When we were finished, we paid for the food and left, getting in Nicole's car. We'd decided walk around Purgatory, even though there wasn't really a lot to do. We got to a small little park that no one ever really went to and decided to sit down in the shade for a few hours. Nicole sat down under a big tree, and I sat between her legs with her arms wrapped around me. Robin sat on top of a picnic table that was just a few inches away from the tree.

"Hey, so what were you guys talking to your aunt about, Waverly?" Robin asked out of the blue.  
I looked at him to see him staring at me expectantly. I blushed and cleared my throat, laughing a bit. "Oh, uhh..." I trailed off, not sure what to say.  
Robin laughed and looked at Nicole. "There's gotta be one reason she's reacting like that. What happened?" He asked her.  
Nicole laughed. "It's, uh, kind of embarrassing," she replied.  
Robin seemed to put two and two together, his eyes widening as he let out a loud laugh. "No!" He exclaimed.  
I closed my eyes and covered my face, laughing. "Yeah..." I responded, my voice muffled by my hands.  
"Wait, seriously? Did they catch you guys?" Robin asked.  
"No! Thank God!" Nicole answered.  
I uncovered my face and looked at Robin. "I would have _died_ if that happened!" I told him, my eyes wide.  
Robin laughed. "So what happened?"  
"They heard us," Nicole said.  
"Yeah, because _someone_ wasn't being quiet!" I teased.  
"Oh, because you're so quiet yourself, huh?" Nicole replied, laughing.

Robin laughed and I blushed even brighter, laughing along with him. It was weird talking about this with Robin, but not necessarily uncomfortable. He was my friend... The only gay person I knew besides Nicole. It was nice to be able to talk so openly without making anyone uncomfortable, because Robin understood.

"I would be so embarrassed if that happened to me... Gosh. What did they say about it?" Robin asked, calming down from his laughter.  
I chuckled. "They don't care if we have sex, they just don't wanna hear it." I replied, my face still warm from the blood that had rushed to my cheeks.  
Nicole chuckled, her mouth right next to my ear. "We should do it again..." She whispered my ear, so quiet that only I could hear.

Her warm breath tickled my ear and neck and I tried not to react to it as my cheeks heated up even more. I felt the familiar tingle, the suggestion turning me on just a bit. The thought of what we had done and possibly doing it again...

 _Calm down, Waves..._

I cleared my throat, trying to stop myself from thinking about Nicole's body... How her hands felt... How her _tongue_ felt. "But yeah! H- I- Yeah," I stuttered.

Robin didn't seem to notice. He'd taken his phone out and was scrolling through something, his attention focused on that. Nicole brushed my hair off of my shoulder and kissed my neck softly, causing me to lean back into her. She bit down on the skin of my neck gently, causing me to bite my lip.

Nicole bit my neck again and I almost moaned out loud, so I sat up slightly.

"Stop it..." I muttered to her, turning my head to look over my shoulder.  
Nicole nodded and kissed my cheek. "Okay," she replied. She put her hand on my cheek and kissed my lips.  
I closed my eyes and kissed back, moaning quietly against her mouth. I pulled away, looking at her and smiling a bit. "I love you, baby, but pleeeeaaaaseeee... Don't kiss me like that right now," I whined.  
Nicole chuckled and nodded. "Okay, okay. I love you, too."

Robin looked up from his phone and smiled at us. "Wanna go see a movie or something?" He asked us, not commenting on what had just happened.  
I looked at him and shrugged. "Sure," I answered. I looked at Nicole. "Do you want to?" I asked her.  
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, sounds like fun."

With that, we got up and walked to the small theater in Purgatory and saw some random movie for pretty cheap. When it was over, we walked back to Nicole's car and headed home. We dropped Robin off and went back to Gus and Curtis' house.

Nicole followed me upstairs to my bedroom and we lied down on the bed, cuddling. It was nice to just lay with her.

"I can't believe graduation is next month. It's coming up so fast..." I muttered, my head rested on Nicole's chest.  
Nicole sighed heavily. "I know..." She responded.  
"Are you excited?"  
"I don't know... A little bit."  
Huh... Just a little bit? "Why just a little bit?"  
"Because... I don't know if I'm ready to leave you yet."  
I leaned up and kissed her jaw. "It's okay, babe. We'll get to see each other." I told her the same thing I'd been trying to convince myself all day. Hypocrite, much?  
Nicole smiled a bit. "I know. I'm just really gonna miss you," she replied.  
I smiled back as we looked at each other. "I'm really gonna miss you, too. Buuuut, someone once told me that it won't be forever."

Nicole chuckled as I kissed her lips softly.

She kissed back before pulling away slightly. "Right. I almost forgot," she told me.  
I brushed my nose against hers. "Then I'll need to remind you," I replied.

I smiled, kissing her passionately.

I know I'm smiling, but goddamn, I am terrified of being away from her for so long.

 **A/N: Not as long as the last chapter, but still a decent length! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!**


	26. Prom Queen

I wasn't exactly looking forward to going back to school after what had happened after prom night, but it's the end of the year, so I kind of _had_ to go back. I didn't expect anything to happen when I got up in the morning, just normal school stuff. Got ready and walked outside to meet Nicole, and we went to school together just like we always did.

Nicole wore this really sexy denim jacket with a flannel underneath it, and skinny jeans that made her butt look so fantastic. It was starting to warm up a bit outside (though there was still some snow), so I wore a yellow floral sundress with a denim bomber jacket (which was totally on accident, I didn't mean to kind of match with Nicole), and black ankle boots. My hair was curled and half up, half down. I didn't put a lot of make up on, because I didn't really feel the need to.

When Nicole and I got out of her car, Nicole walked over to me and put her arm around my shoulders after I was done fixing my dress. I smiled at her, wrapping my arm around her waist and leaning into her side. Nicole kissed my temple as we walked towards the entrance of the school together, making me blush brightly.

We walked into the school and Nicole didn't leave my side as I began to walk towards my locker. When we got there, three girls- one being Chrissy Nedley- ran over to me, excited looks on their faces.

"Waverly, there you are!" Chrissy exclaimed, as she grabbed my hand and began to pull me away from my locker. "Come with us!" She told me.

The other girls, Stephanie and Jessica, both followed Chrissy as she attempted to drag me down the hallway.

I stumbled, trying to keep my arm around Nicole. "Chrissy- Chrissy, slow down! Wha-"  
"You have to come with us, Waverly. Now!" Stephanie told me.  
Nicole bumped into someone really hard, grunting as she tried to keep her balance. "Sorry," she apologized to whoever it was. She looked at me. "What is this about?" She questioned.  
I shrugged, shaking my head a bit. "Hell if I know," I responded.

I pulled against Chrissy's grip and stopped her from walking any further. "Chrissy, stop! What the hell is going on?" I asked her.

Chrissy scoffed, releasing my hand and crossing her arms over her chest. "You won prom queen, dork. We're taking you to get your crown and sash." She told me, her tone suggesting that it was meant to be a surprise.

And I'd just ruined it. Great. _Nice one, Waverly._

Steph rolled her eyes. "Great job ruining the surprise, Waves."  
I frowned. "Sorry, I didn't mean to." I apologized sheepishly, totally forgetting the takeaway from this news they'd just revealed.  
Nicole looked at them. "Wait- did you say prom queen? Waverly won prom queen?" She asked.  
My eyes widened. "Seriously?"  
Chrissy nodded. "Yes. Now let's go before they give it to Tiffany McKenna instead! She was the runner-up." She urged, pulling me again.

This time, I didn't resist, removing my arm from Nicole's waist as I followed Chrissy, Steph, and Jess. Chrissy held onto my hand, leading me towards the office where the prom committee was waiting. I was still really surprised by the fact that there even was a prom committee here, but I mean, it was pretty cool.

"Wait. If Tiffany was the runner-up, why didn't they just give it to her last night? I wasn't there when they announced it." I asked the girls as we slowed down, letting go of Chrissy's hand and taking Nicole's.  
Steph laughed. "Because Tiffany wasn't there, either," she answered.  
Chrissy nodded, snickering. "Yeah, I think she was off screwing some guy or something," she added.

Jess chimed in, a confused expression on her face. "What do you mean, "some guy"? We saw her with Hardy James," she revealed.  
I looked at her, shocked. Tiffany and Champ? That was new. "What?" I asked.  
Chrissy shot Jessica a look. "Seriously, Jess?" She asked.  
"What? I didn't think it was a secret. She practically jumped his bones in front of everyone," Jessica responded defensively.

I rolled my eyes. Of course Tiffany was screwing my ex-boyfriend. She was jealous because I got Nicole before she could even try.

I scoffed, thinking about Tiffany and Champ. "And she had the nerve to call Wynonna a slut..." I muttered angrily. I wasn't jealous, I was just... mad.  
Chrissy laughed. "Please. Wynonna is nothing compared to Tiffany. You know she tried to sleep with Robin after we broke up? Too bad he's gay."  
Steph shook her head, chuckling. "That girl is a piece of work."

I stayed silent for a while, listening to the girls gossip about Tiffany before I mentioned anything about Nicole. It probably wasn't the best idea, considering I didn't wanna think about it anymore. Not to mention the fact that it didn't really do much for the anger that was already building up.

"She tried to sleep with Nicole," I spoke suddenly.  
Chrissy looked at me, eyes wide. "When?" She asked, glancing at Nicole.  
I shook my head. "Before we'd even got together, but she had every intention of making sure nothing happened between me and her. She wanted Nicole all to herself."  
Nicole squeezed my hand. "Too bad I didn't like her. I only have eyes for you, baby. You know that." She kissed my cheek.

Hearing her voice and feeling her lips on my cheek calmed me down a little bit, and I smiled.

"Yeah, I know." I replied, leaning against Nicole.  
"Hey, look. I'm gonna go get our books and stuff, you know, out of our lockers. You can go with your friends and I'll meet you there." Nicole told me after a few seconds, squeezing my hand.  
I looked up at her and pouted. "Okaaay..." I reluctantly agreed.  
Nicole chuckled. "I'll meet you there in a bit, love, okay?"  
I nodded. "Give me a kiss first?"

Nicole gladly complied, leaning and pressing her lips against mine in a soft kiss. I closed my eyes, leaning into her as I kissed back. The kiss lasted only a few seconds before Nicole pulled away, resting her forehead against mine.

"I love you," I told her.  
"I love you too," she responded.  
"Bye, Nicole." The girls said in unison, rolling their eyes at us playfully.  
Nicole chuckled. "Bye, Chrissy, Steph, Jess." She responded, glancing at them.

Nicole kissed my forehead and then walked away, leaving me with my friends, who were smirking at me when I turned back towards them.

I blushed brightly, shifting awkwardly. "What?" I asked, nervous that they found it weird.  
Chrissy shook her head, smiling. "Come on. We gotta go," she replied.

I took Chrissy's hand and started following the girls again. I felt kind of nervous about the fact that Nicole and I had kissed in front of them the way we did... I mean, I hadn't seen them since that party at the end of the season. I couldn't imagine how strange it must be to see me with a girl after dating Champ for as long as I did.

"Hey, Waverly?" Chrissy asked, looking down at me. (She was a bit taller than me, and her shoes certainly didn't help)  
I looked at her expectantly. "Yeah?" I replied.  
"What's it like? You know, dating Nicole? After being with Champ for all that time, I mean." She looked genuinely curious.

I swallowed, nervous about the question. I looked at Stephanie and Jessica, and they were watching me, expecting an answer.

I tried to think of an answer that would make sense, without making them uncomfortable. "Well... It's definitely different..." I trailed off, not sure what they wanted to hear.  
Steph nudged me, scoffing quietly. "Oh, come on, Waverly. Give us details!" She urged.  
"Details? About what?" I asked nervously.  
Chrissy nodded. "Is the sex different than it was with Champ?" She asked.  
I blushed, my heart pounding at the thought of what they were asking about. "Uh- Well, yeah. It's different. Way, way different." I answered, chuckling quietly.  
"Is she good at it?" Jess asked quietly.

I hesitated for a second. Should I be talking about this with them? I mean, they are my friends, but this was all so weird... We spend months apart, and suddenly here we are... Talking about my relationship with Nicole- No. My _sex life_ with Nicole.

 _Don't be such a prude, Waverly. You've told them worse things about your sex life with Champ. Besides, it's not like there's anything bad to tell..._

"She's amazing. Better than Champ." I answered, deciding there was no reason to not talk to them about it.  
Stephanie's eyes widened, shocked by what I'd said. "Better than Champ?" She asked. I nodded.  
"How though?" Jessica asked, confused. "I mean, how does it even work?"  
I laughed, blushing brightly. "I'm not sure how to explain it, Jess."  
"But you... you know, come, right?" Chrissy asked, seemingly intrigued.  
I looked at her, nodding. "Oh, so much."  
"You mean every time you guys do it, or multiple times in a row?" Jessica asked.  
"Both," I answered.  
Stephanie laughed. "Seriously?" She asked, as if she couldn't believe it. I nodded.  
"Did that ever happen with Champ?" Chrissy asked.  
I shook my head. "Definitely not. I can't remember ever having an orgasm with Champ," I responded.

The girls all raised their eyebrows in surprise, not asking anymore questions. We continued walking, turning a corner as we got closer to the prom committee's little office area. I could see the door open down the hall and I began to get excited. Prom queen! I couldn't believe it.

"You know, Wave... You're really lucky," Chrissy said out of nowhere.  
"How so?" I asked, still holding onto her hand.  
She looked sad as she looked down at her feet as we kept walking. "You have someone who really loves you... I mean, it's weird seeing you with a girl-"  
Stephanie laughed. "No kidding. It's hella weird," she interrupted.  
Chrissy shot her a look before continuing. "But we've never seen you this happy. With Champ, sure you were happy, but I don't think you two were meant to be together. Maybe you were meant to be with Nicole."  
I looked at Chrissy, surprised by what she'd said. "You really think so?" I asked her.  
Chrissy nodded. "Definitely. Nicole's really good for you. I just wish I could find someone like that," she replied. She let out a heavy sigh, looking at me. "I really thought Robin was the one, but... well, you know."  
I nodded, understanding what she meant. It wasn't Robin's fault and, thankfully, Chrissy understood that. "I know, sweetie. Robin did love you, though. Just... not the way you wanted. You will find someone, Chrissy. And probably soon. You're such a great person."  
Chrissy smiled at me. "Thanks, Waves."

I nodded, smiling at her and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. I felt so bad for Chrissy. She really did love Robin, so it was sad that things didn't work out between them. I mean, I was happy that Robin was happy for the most part. He didn't have to hide who he was anymore.

We finally reached the open door and walked into the room, where we were greeted by the president of the prom committee. I let go of Chrissy's hand and stepped forward.

"Hi, Waverly!" The overly cheerful girl greeted.

I had no idea there were girls like her at Purgatory High...

I smiled my biggest, sweetest smile. "Hi! How are you?" I asked her, my voice laced with kindness.  
The girl smiled back. "I'm great. How about you?" She asked in response, holding her hand out.  
"Oh, I'm just fantastic." I answered, shaking her hand.  
"That's lovely. So my name is Alicia, and I'm the president of the prom committee. I assume you're here to claim your crown, huh, prom queen?" She asked, introducing herself to me.  
I nodded. "Pleasure to meet you, Alicia. And yes, I am. I can't believe I even won!" I replied. I really couldn't.  
Alicia smiled widely. "You're the nicest person in Purgatory. Everyone loves you!" She said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

I laughed a bit as Alicia went to go grab my sash and crown. When she walked away, Nicole walked into the room, our textbooks in hand. She smiled at me and walked over, kissing my cheek.

I smiled at her, tucking a strand of her red hair before her ear. "Hi, baby."  
Nicole smiled back, a light blush dusted over her cheeks. "Hey," she replied.  
Alicia turned around, holding the sash. "Here you go, Waverly." She said, lifting it above my head.

I allowed her to place it over my shoulders, slipping one of my arms through so the sash was across my chest. Alicia turned back around to grab the crown. When she turned back around, she walked over to me to put it on my head.

"Excuse me?! Why does she get to be prom queen?" A familiar voice screeched.

I turned towards the door and saw Tiffany standing in the doorway, Champ by her side. I scoffed, shaking my head a bit before turning back to face Alicia.

Alicia looked at Tiffany and shrugged. "People voted for her, and she actually showed up to claim it. If you'd gotten here before she did, or even bothered to stay and wait for the announcement at prom, you would have gotten it." She explained, not meaning to sound bitchy but totally coming off that way.

Chrissy, Stephanie, and Jessica all snickered, watching as Tiffany glared at me, her eyes practically burning holes in the back of my head as Alicia placed the tiara on my head.

I smiled widely, thanking Alicia before turning to face Tiffany. "Sorry," I told her, happily.

I took Nicole's hand and pulled her to the door, brushing past Tiffany and Champ.

Nicole stopped for a second, looking at them after we'd passed. "Congratulations on the relationship. You two deserve each other," she said in a passive aggressive tone.

She flashed a smile at them before allowing me to pull her away from them. Chrissy, Steph, and Jess followed, laughing their asses off.

"That was amazing. It was so worth it to see the look on Tiff's face!" Chrissy said, smiling.  
Stephanie laughed. "Right! Bitch deserved it," she responded.  
Jess chuckled. "I can't believe she actually thought she was gonna get the crown before you, Waves."

I sighed, not responding to them, just chuckling in response. I'd forgotten how tiring they were. I leaned my head against Nicole's shoulder as we walked, barely paying attention to the girls as they continued to talk shit about Tiffany. Honestly, I was already over it.

Nicole seemed to notice and squeezed my hand. "Ready for finals?" She asked me.  
I laughed, shaking my head a bit. "Not at all," I told her.  
She chuckled, rubbing the back of my hand with her thumb. "We can study together, then." She promised me, kissing the top of my head.

I smiled. I liked studying with Nicole, especially now. I wanted to spend as much time with her before graduation. After graduation, we had the summer to ourselves, but then she was going to leave.

And I wasn't ready.

 **A/N: I am so sorry for taking so long with this chapter. I do have sort of an announcement, though.**

 **This story will have** **four more parts (after this one), and then it will be completed and I won't be updating it anymore.**

 **BUT I will be starting a SEQUEL that will pick up after this story (not immediately after, but it won't be that long after).**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I hope you'll continue to read the sequel when I start it.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading. I really appreciate all of you!**


	27. Hard Times (Finals)

I sighed heavily, staring at the book in front of me as I sat cross-legged on my bed. Nicole sat across from me, scribbling something with intense focus. I wasn't sure if she was actually doing the work, or just... scribbling.

I groaned, leaning my head back. "This sucks," I whined.  
Nicole chuckled, glancing up from her paper for a split second. "Yeah, well, I don't think finals are supposed to fun." She joked, a smirk spread across her lips.  
I couldn't help but smile as I rolled my eyes, pushing my folder off of my lap. "Of course not. Honestly, I think teachers love to torture their students. I mean, why else would we be taking a test on literally _everything_ we learned in this entire school year? Torture!" I exclaimed dramatically, closing my textbook.  
"This coming from the valedictorian!" Nicole exclaimed in response, still focusing her gaze on whatever she was writing.

I pursed my lips, tilting my head as I watched her. Without thinking it through completely, I snatched her pencil out of her hand.

"Hey!" Nicole let out, finally looking up at me.

She made the cutest face, even though I knew she was frustrated that I took her pencil while she was in the middle of writing.

I furrowed my eyebrows, making a grumpy face. I wasn't grumpy, actually. "Pay attention to me!" I demanded, holding the pencil above my head.  
Nicole sighed. "You do know that my arms are longer than yours, right?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.  
"So?"  
"So, I can just take my pencil back from you without even breaking a sweat."  
I raised an eyebrow. _Oh, really?_ "Okay. Then do it," I challenged.

Though I knew she really could take it from me. I just wanted to mess around.

Nicole chuckled, looking at me as if to question if I really wanted to do this. The smirk that had spread across my lips confirmed that I did, and Nicole gave a shrug, muttering an indifferent "alright" as she cleared our books off the bed.

She got on her knees and leaned close to me. I held the pencil back further, as if that would help keep it from her. She got closer, not looking at the pencil, but looking at me.

The look her eyes was apparently enough to distract me, because next thing I knew, the pencil was being ripped out of my hand.

I yelped in surprise, reacting quite quickly. "No!" I cried out as I reached for the pencil to try and take it back.

Nicole held it up in the air, sitting up on her knees. I got on mine, trying to take it out of her hand- and failing.

"Nooo!" I whined, my body pressing against Nicole's as I struggled to reach for the pencil.

Nicole fell back on the bed, bringing me with her, still holding the pencil far out of my reach. She found it absolutely hilarious, laughing as she continued to keep the pencil from me.

I straddled her waist as I reached for the pencil, getting so close to grabbing it, not noticing that my boobs were all in Nicole's face. Her grip on the pencil loosened and it fell from her hand, landing on the floor.

"Damn it!" I muttered, upset that I hadn't been able to get it.  
Nicole's opposite hand found its way to my waist and she tapped me gently. "Waverly, your boobs are kinda in my face," she chuckled.  
"Oh!" I moved down slightly, still straddling her. "Sorry," I told her.  
She blushed, giving a shrug. "I didn't really mind it..." She whispered, putting her hands on the back of my neck and pulling me into a kiss.

I kissed her back immediately, closing my eyes as her hands slid down my back. She grabbed my butt, pulling me into her. I loved when she grabbed me like that, it really turned me on. I let out a quiet moan as she did it again, our lips never breaking apart.

Nicole slipped her hands under my loose shirt and began dragging her nails down my back. She did that once before she ran her hands all up and down my back and sides. My rolled my hips, grinding against hers as she pulled away to kiss my neck.

I kept my eyes closed, letting out a quiet moan. "You drive me crazy, you know that?" I whispered.  
Nicole chuckled as she ran her tongue along my jawline. "Oh, I know." She replied, biting at my skin.

I moaned, grinding against her again, desperately wanting to feel pleasure as the tingle between my legs grew more intense.

"Touch me, baby. Please." I begged as I found myself grinding against her again.

Nicole flipped us over, laying me on the bed as she settled between my legs. She slipped her hands under my shirt again, feeling my breasts through my bra. I bit my lip, enjoying the feeling... But I wanted more.

I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it off without even bothering to sit up. I tossed it to the floor and pulled at Nicole's shirt.

"Take it off," I practically demanded.

Nicole quickly obliged, wasting no time as she unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it off. She tossed it to be with mine as I unhooked my bra. She seemed surprised by my desperation, but her eyes were full of lust. She pulled my bra off of me and climbed on top of me, kissing and biting my neck.

Nicole unbuttoned my shorts and slipped her hand inside, not wasting any time as she began to touch me. She rubbed my clit in circles and I felt a wave of pleasure run through my body. I threw my head back, running my fingers through her hair as I moaned quietly.

I didn't realize how wet I was until I felt two of her fingers slip inside of me easily. I moaned, bucking my hips against her hand as she began to push her fingers in and out, her body moving against me with each thrust.

"Oh, God. That feels so good," I breathed.

Nicole chuckled, sucking on the skin of my neck. I was sure she'd leave a hickey, but if I'm being honest, I didn't really give a shit.

She pushed her fingers deep, curling them just the right amount, hitting that sweet spot I'd grown quite familiar with by this point.

"Just like that, baby. Oh, don't stop." I moaned, my fingers tangled up in her hair.

She didn't. She kept going, her fingers deep inside of me as she quickly moved her hand just a bit to keep hitting that _amazing_ spot. I closed my hands around her hair without even thinking as I felt myself get closer and closer to coming.

"I'm so close. Oh, my god. Don't stop, Nicole." I bit my lip to stop myself from moaning too loud.

Just as I was about to come all over Nicole's fingers, there were three quick knocks on the door, and I jumped, panicking. Nicole's hand disappeared from my shorts and I almost whined at the loss of her fingers.

"Waverly," Aunt Gus said through the door.

The door knob started to turn and Nicole jumped off of me, grabbing her shirt.

I grabbed my bra, sitting up. "Uhh, don't come in! I mean- just a second!" I called out.  
"Dear God," I heard Gus groan.

I put my bra on, reaching behind my back to hook it.

The door opened, and Gus stood there, arms crossed. Nicole froze, her shirt half on.

"Seriously? I thought you two were supposed to be studying?" She asked, shaking her head at us.  
I blushed, looking at Nicole to find her blushing as well. I looked back at Gus. "I- well, we- we were. We just- We-" I stammered before deciding there was no point.  
Gus let out a heavy sigh. "That's it. Downstairs, both of you." She told us, her tone and expression telling us she meant it.  
"What? Gus!" I exclaimed, frowning. I didn't want to go downstairs. I wanted to be up here, with Nicole.

I think I was mostly disappointed because the pleasure I'd been feeling just a couple minutes ago was gone, replaced by an uncomfortable, throbbing fullness that wasn't unbearable, but wasn't the best feeling, either.

I could handle it, I just wish I'd been able to get off at least before Gus interrupted us.

"Nope. C'mon. I'm not having you too screwin' around up here while you're supposed to be studying for your finals." Gus scolded, looking at us with discomfort when she said "screwing around".

We both knew what she meant, sighing in unison.

"Fine," I muttered. I stood up, bending over to grab my shirt. I slipped it on and then buttoned my shorts before picking up my book, grabbing my backpack.

Nicole swallowed nervously, looking at Gus with a questioning look.

"What?" Gus asked her, confused.  
"I kinda need to wash my hands..." Nicole cringed, her hands behind her back.

I blushed when she said that, looking down.

Gus looked at me, seeing my reaction and scoffed, clearly disturbed by the thought of what reason Nicole could possibly have for needing to wash her hands. "Oh, God. Fine, go. But you meet us downstairs." She gestured for me to follow her.

I reluctantly followed Gus downstairs, setting my book down on the table and getting my things ready to continue studying. I shifted uncomfortably on the wooden chair, my... lady bits still throbbing.

I sighed as I opened the book, grabbing my notebook and pencil as I continued where I'd left off. Nicole eventually came down the stairs, her book and bag in hand as she came to sit down.

Nicole looked up at me and I pouted, squeezing my legs together to try to get rid of the feeling I was experiencing.

"You okay?" She asked me quietly.  
I shook my head. "It feels all... weird. Like.. throbbing," I replied. My voice was barely above a whisper, not wanting Gus to hear.  
Nicole frowned a bit. "Does it hurt?" She asked, concerned.

 _God, I love her._

I shook my head. "No. Just a little uncomfortable," I reassured her.  
She nodded, leaning closer so that her lips brushed against my ear. "I'll make it up to you later," she whispered.

I didn't respond because Gus looked over at us. I just nodded, smiling at her and biting my lip. She winked at me, making me blush and giggle.

Gus rolled her eyes. "Jesus, what is up with you two? Too many hormones today." She muttered, walking into the kitchen.  
I looked down at my book with a chuckle. "Sorry, Gus."  
"Don't be sorry, just... Try to control yourselves for right now?" Gus told us as she poured two glasses of iced tea. She set them down next to us. "You need to study so you can pass those finals and actually graduate. After that, you'll have plenty of time for whatever it is you two were doing up there." She put her hand on our shoulders.

Her words made me kind of sad, but I guess she was right. In a way, at least. Sure, we'd have time to do whatever we wanted after finals and graduation, but the summer would be over quickly. I just knew it would. Then Nicole would be off to the city, at college, while I stayed in Purgatory.

I smiled at Gus. "You're right," I told her.

Gus smiled back before going outside to work on the garden with Uncle Curtis, leaving Nicole and I to study.

 **Finals**  
First day of finals week was absolute hell. We were almost late to school because I had overslept and needed coffee (desperately). The tests were so long that I nearly fell asleep during the first one, even with the coffee!

The next day wasn't any better. We had three finals for the first two days (and the second day, we picked up our caps and gowns, along with any other things were needed to wear on graduation), and then the last final is on the last day of school. I don't get why we have to take a final on the last day of school, but at least it's only one.

Every kid at Purgatory High seemed to be practically dead by the time we got to the last day, and Nicole and I were no exception. I had trouble sleeping because I was too busy finishing all of my studying AND finalizing my valedictorian speech, and Nicole was just studying. She was determined to finish with amazing grades because she wanted everything to look good for when she leaves.

I groaned as I left the house, walking towards Nicole's car, nothing in my hands. It's the last day of school, I don't need a bag!

I got in the car and immediately rested my head on Nicole's shoulder. "I'm exhausted," I muttered.  
Nicole took my hand, kissing the back of it. "I know, baby." She replied, kissing the top of my head.

I lifted my head to look at her, placing my other hand on her cheek. I closed my eyes and leaned in, my lips brushing against hers. She closed the small gap between us and pressed her soft lips against mine, her thumb caressing the back of my hand gently.

We pulled away from the short kiss and I rested my forehead against hers, my eyes still closed.

"God, I wish I could just... sleep," I sighed.

Nicole's forehead disappeared from mine for a second before it was replaced by her lips.

"You will, baby. This is the last day, and then we get to rest until graduation," she promised me.

I nodded. She was right. Just one more final, and we were good. We could go home and I could sleep in her arms. I couldn't wait.

I moved away from her, opening my eyes. "Just one more final," I said.  
She nodded. "Just one more," she repeated. Her fingers interlocked with mine and she smiled at me. "Coffee, babe?" She asked.  
I nodded, letting out a sigh of relief at the mere _mention_ of coffee. It was my savior these past three days. "God, yes." I answered, squeezing her hand gently.

Nicole chuckled, releasing my hand only to take the car out of park. When she shifted gears, she started driving down the road.

We stopped to get coffee before heading to school, where we sat in separate rooms for our last final of the school year.

I sat at my desk, the test in front of me. I yawned silently, rubbing my eyes. I let out a sigh as I continued to fill in my answers. I looked up, looking around the room to see how many people were still working. A handful of students were finished, and the rest weren't.

I sighed, looking back down at my test. I just wanted to go home and go to sleep. When I finished my test, I stood up to hand it in to the teacher. When she took the test, she smiled at me and I smiled back before going back to my desk to sit down.

The rest of the day was just going to the other classes we'd already finished the finals for, but we only stayed there for, like, twenty or thirty minutes each. When the final bell rang, everyone cheered, except for me. I was too tired.

Nicole sat next to me, her arm around my shoulders as all of the kids left the classroom in a rush, running even as the faculty members told them not to.

"You okay, baby?" Nicole asked me as we waited for the last bit of students to leave.  
I nodded, closing my eyes as I pinched the bridge of my nose with my thumb and index finger. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired," I replied.  
She rubbed my shoulder and kissed my temple, running her fingers through my hair. "Come on, baby. I'll take you home." She whispered, her nose brushing against my cheek.

I nodded, opening my eyes and standing up. I took Nicole's hand and she led me out of the classroom, and then out of the school. When we were outside, I couldn't believe that we'd actually finished high school. Today had been our last day, and now all that was left was graduation.

"Do you wanna get some food, baby? Or do you just wanna go home?" Nicole asked me, our fingers interlocked as we headed towards her car.  
I looked up at her with a smile. "I just wanna go home and take a nap with you." I responded, leaning my head against her shoulder.  
She released my hand, putting her arm around my shoulders. "Okay, baby."

We got to her car and climbed in, driving back home. When we got there, we immediately went upstairs to my room and I changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt. Nicole did the same, changing into pajamas she'd left in my dresser before laying down with me.

I cuddled into her side, closing my eyes as she wrapped her arms around me. "I'm so glad finals are over. This week was a nightmare," I muttered.  
Nicole chuckled, running her fingers through my hair. I felt a sense of euphoria as I began to drift off. "I know. At least we finally get a little break before graduation day, huh?" She asked.  
I nodded a bit, mumbling sleepily in response. "Mm-hm," I hummed.

The last thing I felt was Nicole placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.

 **A/N: Hey, everyone! So I'm really sorry about the, uh, "cock-block"... Or "pussy-block", as it were? Thought I'd tease a little bit. Ya know. Make things interesting?**

 **This was a filler chapter, though, in case y'all couldn't tell. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **I'll definitely make it up to you all for the tease, I promise! Maybe there might be some smut in one of the next few chapters? Let me know what you think!**

 **Thank you so much for reading! I hope you all stick around to read the sequel!**


	28. Graduation Day

I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror, fixing my hair. It wasn't bad, I was just so nervous! I mean, it's graduation!

I draped my long hair over my shoulder, deciding I looked perfect and turned away from the mirror. I went to go grab my cap and gown, but stopped when my phone rang. I turned back around, walking over to my bed and picked it up.

My heart began to pound when I saw the caller ID. It was Wynonna.

I quickly pressed the green button and held the phone to my ear. "Hello?" I asked.  
 _"Hey, baby girl! Long time, no talk."_ Wynonna's voice responded from the other side of the phone.  
I smiled widely, sitting down on the edge of my bed. It was so good to hear her voice. "Hey, Wynonna! It's so good to hear from you. I've really missed you," I told her.

And I really had. I didn't know just how comforting the sound of her voice could be until now.

 _"I've missed you, too, kid. I can't believe you're graduation today. Seems like just yesterday you were about three feet tall, drawing pictures of your imaginary friend."_ Wynonna told me, chuckling.  
I laughed a bit. "Yeah. I'm not a little girl anymore," I replied.  
 _"No, you sure aren't."_  
"So how are you? Where have you been?" I asked, eager to know what she's been up to.  
 _"Oh, you know. Here and there. I'm doing good, though. Really good. I think I needed some time away from Purgatory. Being away really put a lot of things into perspective. And... I met someone."_ Wynonna said, and I could just hear the smile on her face.

Suddenly, it didn't matter that she wasn't giving me a straight answer. What mattered was that my sister was happy for the first time in a long time.

"Really? What's his name? Or her name! Is it a her?" I asked excitedly. This was the first time I'd heard Wynonna mention someone to me.  
Wynonna laughed. _"No, it's not a her. His name is Xavier. He's really amazing, and he kind of makes me happy, which I didn't even think was possible for me."_  
I smiled, tears welling up in my eyes. "Well, I'm really happy for you, Wynonna. And I'd really love to meet Xavier."  
 _"You will, I promise. Hey, speaking of main squeezes, how's the Tater Haught doing?"_  
I giggled at the nickname, biting my lip. "She's really great. We're doing really well."  
 _"She still make you swoon like the first day you met when you look at her?"_  
"Every. Single. Time."  
 _"That's true love right there, baby girl. Don't you ever let that go, you hear me?"_

I smiled a bit, the tears falling down my cheeks as I nodded, clearing my throat.

"I won't. I swear," I promised her.  
 _"Good. Last thing I want is for my baby sister to be unhappy."_  
"I wish you were here, Wyn."  
I heard her sniffle on the other side of the phone. _"I wish I was there, too, Waves."_  
"We could go out to dinner, just you, me, Nicole. Maybe Xavier could join us." I chuckled, wiping my tears from my cheek.  
Wynonna chuckled, sniffing again. _"Yeah, I'd really love that. I think X would, too. He really wants to meet you guys."_

I opened my mouth to respond, stopping when my bedroom door opened, and Nicole stepped through the doorway. She stopped when she saw me on the phone.

"Sorry," Nicole whispered.

I nodded, looking at her. "Do you know if you're ever gonna come back?" I asked Wynonna, keeping my eyes on Nicole, who was closing my bedroom door behind her. She set her cap and gown on my bed, and stepped back.  
 _"No, I'm not sure yet. I've been talking to Xavier about it, but we haven't planned anything. Hopefully soon, though."_ Wynonna responded, her voice wavering slightly. _"Listen, I'm gonna let you go now, baby girl. You have a good graduation, okay?"_  
"Okay, Wynonna. Thank you for calling. It was really good to hear your voice," I replied.  
 _"It was really good to hear yours, too. I'm so proud of you, Waverly. I love you."_  
"I love you, too. Bye, Wynonna."  
 _"Bye, baby girl."_

The phone beeped, letting me know that Wynonna had hung up, and as soon as she did, I broke down into sobs.

Nicole rushed over to me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. I hugged her back, burying my face in her shoulder. She kissed my temple, rubbing my back soothingly.

"It's okay, baby. It's okay," she muttered.

I pulled away from the hug and looked at her, tears still rolling down my cheeks. She reached up and wiped them away with her thumb. Her hand was so soft and comforting, I closed my eyes and leaned into her touch.

I felt her press a kiss to my cheek, just under my left eye, and I sighed. She made me feel so safe.

"Your makeup got messed up, baby." Nicole told me, her voice soft and quiet.  
I shook my head a bit, not bothering to open my eyes. "I don't care," I replied.

Nicole's nose brushed against mine before she rested her forehead against my forehead.

"Are you okay?" She asked.  
I opened my eyes, finally, though I didn't look at her. "No... I miss Wynonna," I muttered.  
"I know, baby. I know."  
"It just sucks that she's not here to see us graduate."  
"Yeah... But at least she called, right?"  
I opened my eyes and looked at Nicole. She was obviously trying to make me feel better. "Yeah... Yeah, you're right."

Nicole nodded, wiping my tears away again before kissing my nose gently. "Come on, baby. Let's fix your makeup, okay?"

I nodded, standing up with her. I looked at her outfit for the first time since she walked in and smiled a bit. She was wearing a nice floral blouse with a blazer over it, and black skinny jeans. I looked down at her shoes, which were her favorite pair of vans.

I giggled. "I should've known you weren't gonna wear a dress and some heels," I told her.  
She blushed, looking down at her outfit. "Do you like it?" She asked.  
I nodded, putting my arms around her neck and pulling her close. "I love it. You look amazing," I replied.

Nicole smiled at me and I ran my fingers through her hair, which was curled. She wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed her forehead against mine. I closed my eyes, leaning forward to kiss her.

She kissed back, her soft lips pushing back against mine. I pulled away after a few seconds, looking at her as I cupped her face in my hands. I caressed her cheeks with my thumbs before giving her a nose kiss, pressing the tip of my nose against hers.

Nicole smiled at the gesture, giggling as I moved my head, rubbing our noses together. I chuckled, pulling away to smile at her.

We fixed my makeup before grabbing our caps and gowns and putting them on. I grabbed my things (mainly just my valedictorian speech) and walked downstairs with Nicole, where Gus and Curtis were waiting for us.

Gus turned around and smiled when she saw me in my cap and gown. "Oh, my little girl." She said, tears welling up in her eyes. She hugged both me and Nicole, pulling us close.  
I chuckled. "Okay, Aunt Gus, don't cry yet." I joked, rubbing her back.  
Gus pulled away, rolling her eyes. "Fine. But we're still taking some pictures." She told me, putting her hand under my chin.  
"Yeah, we need some pictures to frame," Curtis added.

I smiled, nodding. I didn't mind pictures, I just didn't want Gus to cry before I'd even graduated officially.

Gus stepped back, getting her camera ready. "Stand closer. Come on," she told us.

I stepped closer to Nicole and she immediately put her arm around my waist. I put my arm around her and we smiled while Gus took pictures of us.

When we were finished, we walked out and got into Gus's truck. Curtis was driving, so Gus was in the passenger seat, while Nicole and I were in the backseat.

When he was driving, I rested my head against Nicole's shoulder with a small smile as she took my hand and interlocked our fingers.

It didn't take long for us to get to the school and out to the football field where graduation was taking place. We got out of the car and went our separate ways, Nicole and I going to the area where all the graduates needed to be.

I held my speech in my hand, nervous as the ceremony progressed. Soon, we were out and sitting in our chairs in front of the stage, waiting. We patiently listened to whatever the principal was saying. I didn't really pay attention to what she was talking about because I was too focused on the fact I was going to have to go up there and deliver my speech in front of my entire senior class.

"And now, please welcome our valedictorian, Waverly Earp." Principal Montgomery introduced me suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I blinked, clearing my throat as I stood up, flashing a nervous smile as I made my way onto the stage, the crowds of people applauding. I shook hands with the principal, who smiled at me and whispered "good luck".

I stepped up to the podium as the applause died down and took a deep breath. "Hi," I started, smiling. "My name is Waverly Earp... And, uh, I am the valedictorian of this senior class," I spoke. I sighed a bit, rolling my eyes. "But you already knew that."

They laughed, and I felt slightly more at ease.

"I know you all must be shocked to see an Earp up here, giving this speech. I mean, God knows my older sisters weren't exactly valedictorian material. Especially Wynonna."

I saw people nod in agreement, some of them laughed, others shook their heads in disapproval at the mention of Wynonna.

"Though, despite my family's reputation, I managed to do something I never imagined I could. I managed to make a new name for myself. Be something more than just an Earp. I met someone who truly loves me for who I am, and would never leave my side. And I think that's something all of us can accomplish, no matter what people think of us."

I looked at Nicole, who was watching from the crowd, and smiled at her.

"We all have the power to change how people perceive us. To rise above, and show the people who constantly told us we weren't enough, that we are more than enough. Now is the perfect time for that. We have our whole lives ahead of us. Let's make the most of it and follow our dreams. Accomplish what they never thought we could. Here's to the rest of our lives!" I exclaimed, finishing my speech with a huge smile.

The students all began to clap, including Nicole, who was cheering very loudly. I blushed, still smiling as I grabbed my speech from the podium. I said thank you into the microphone before leaving the stage to go back to my seat. On my way there, I waved at Nicole, who blew me a kiss right before I sat down.

We sat through the rest of the ceremony before they finally began to give out the diplomas. We stood up in lines whenever it was our turn. They called the names in alphabetical order, so they got through the A's, B's, C's, and D's.

"Waverly Earp," Principal Montgomery said.

I stepped up onto the stage, smiling nervously at the sound of the applause as I made my way to grab my diploma, though I knew the actual diploma wasn't in there, we'd have to pick it up later. She handed the blank, rolled-up piece of paper to me and shook my hand.

"Congratulations, Waverly." She told me, smiling as she gave me a quick hug.  
"Thank you," I replied.

I left the stage, going back to my seat and sitting down. The next couple of letter went by slowly: F's, G's. Tucker Gardner was a junior, so he wasn't there.

"Nicole Haught," Principal Montgomery called out.

I clapped immediately, smiling as Nicole stepped up to the stage and grabbed her diploma from Principal Montgomery. They shook hands and Nicole smiled before stepping off the stage and returning to her seat. I waved at her excitedly, blowing her a kiss. She blushed, smiling back at me before she sat down.

The I's flew by, then it was the J's.

"Hardy James," Principal Montgomery said into the microphone.

Champ stepped onto the stage and grabbed his diploma, grinning like an idiot. He shook hands with the principal before walking to sit back down. A few more names came after him, and then Robin's name was called.

"Robin Jett," Principal Montgomery said.

Both Nicole and I cheered for him, clapping as he made his way onto the stage. He smiled widely, waving at us before he grabbed his diploma and shook hands with Principal Montgomery.

"Stephanie Jones."

. . .

"Tiffany McKenna."

. . .

"Chrissy Nedley."

. . .

"Jessica Ramos."

. . .

"I present to you, this year's graduates of Purgatory High!" Principal Montgomery announced.

We all cheered, standing up and tossing our caps into the air. Nicole walked over, hugging me tightly as the caps fell down around us. Without thinking, I kissed her in front of everyone. I didn't expect any type of reaction, and surprisingly we didn't get one.

Once the ceremony was over, Gus and Curtis found us and took so many pictures, some of them with Chrissy, Steph, Jess, and even Robin. Gus invited them all to dinner, but the only one who could join was Robin. Chrissy, Steph, and Jess already had plans (that I had a feeling were with each other), but Robin and his dad joined us for dinner at the diner in town.

When we got home, Nicole and I went upstairs to get ready for bed. We walked into my room, closing the door behind us. I took our caps and gowns, putting them in the closet as Nicole got our pajamas ready.

"So, do you wanna take a shower first?" Nicole asked me when I turned around to look at her.

When she asked that question, I got an idea. I stepped closer to her, smiling a bit.

"Or we could shower together," I suggested. I bit my lip in anticipation as I waited for her answer.  
Nicole's cheeks turned red and she cleared her throat a bit. "Wha- Really?" She asked me.  
I nodded, reaching to push her blazer off of her shoulders before my hands went to her shirt. I started to undo the buttons one-by-one. "Yeah... I mean... We've never showered together before... Maybe now would be a nice time to try it out?" I leaned closer, brushing my nose against hers.  
Nicole swallowed, her eyes fluttering shut as our lips barely touched. She pulled back just a centimeter as she let out an airy chuckle. "Okay," she agreed.

 **A/N: Oof, cliffhanger?**

 **JK. The shower scene will be in the next chapter. ;)**

 **Sorry for all the teasing. Gotta keep you all on your toes.**

 **Also I apologize if this chapter was really messy, I wasn't sure how to write it. I promise that the next two chapters will be much better.**


	29. Pussy Is God

I went into the bathroom and took a deep breath as I started the shower, closing the curtain before I began to remove my makeup and take my clothes off.

I was about to have shower sex with Nicole... I was nervous, but really excited at the same time. It was definitely something I'd never done before, so it was going to be new and different... But it was also something that seemed so... sexy.

I finished undressing myself and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water fall over me. I closed my eyes, leaning my head back to wet my hair before running my fingers through it. I turned around to face the shower head, letting the water hit my face and chest.

I heard the bathroom door open and close quietly, and then rustling sounds on the other side of the curtain. I swallowed, opening my eyes as I listened carefully to the sounds of what I assumed to be Nicole undressing.

The shower curtain opened slowly and Nicole poked her head in. I backed up to give her room as she began to step into the shower, now standing in my place, under the water.

Nicole smiled at me as the water hit the back of her neck, dripping down over her chest.

I smiled back, my eyes scanning her face and body. She's so beautiful, just looking at her makes my heart pound.

"You're sure about this, baby?" She asked me, her hands coming to rest on my hips.  
I nodded, putting my hands on the back of her neck. "Yeah," I told her.

I pulled her close and kissed her, my fingers wrapped up in her still-dry hair. She kissed back immediately, pulling me closer as her arms wrapped around my waist. I closed my hand around her hair, tugging gently as I parted my lips.

A hum escaped Nicole's throat as she slipped her tongue into my mouth, her body moving to pin me against the wall of the shower. My bare backside hit the cold wall, causing me to break away from the kiss and gasp in surprise.

"Are you okay?" Nicole asked in concern, her eyes worried and her eyebrows furrowed.  
I nodded, smiling at her as I caressed her cheeks, my body adjusting to the feeling of the wall. "I'm perfect. The wall was just a little cold," I chuckled.  
Nicole's face relaxed and she broke out into a smile. "Oh. I'm sorry," she apologized, her nose brushing against mine.  
I shook my head. "Don't apologize," I told her.

I pulled her back into a hard, passionate kiss by her hair, making her moan against my mouth. Our wet bodies pressed against each other as our lips connected again, causing that familiar tingle between my legs.

Nicole's leg slipped between mine, and one of mine between hers. She rolled her hips against me, creating friction for both of us. I pulled away from the kiss, gasping at the feeling.

"Does that feel good, baby?" Nicole whispered in my ear.  
I nodded, my eyes fluttering shut as she did it again. "Yes," I whimpered.

Her hands slid down to my ass, squeezing it and pulling me against her leg.

"Fuck," I breathed. It felt so good.  
Nicole let out an amused chuckle. "Now that's something I don't hear often," she teased.  
I shook my head, smiling a bit. "Shut up," I responded jokingly.

Nicole kissed my neck and then I felt her teeth bite down on my skin gently, causing me to buck my hips against her, moaning.

Her arm wrapped around my waist while her other hand slid between my legs, replacing her thigh. She started rubbing my clit slowly, biting down on my neck again. I moaned, leaning my head against her, my eyes still closed.

She sucked on the skin of my neck as she slipped a finger inside of me. I moaned slightly louder, grabbing a handful of her hair. I pulled her head back, pulling her away from my neck and into a rough kiss.

Nicole moaned against my lips, slipping another finger inside of me. I bit her lip, pulling back before releasing it. She pushed her fingers in deeper, curling them to hit my g-spot, which made me gasp and moan.

"Do that again. Please," I practically begged.

Nicole nodded as she did as I said, slipping her fingers out before pushing them back in again, hitting the same spot. She looked into my eyes, biting her lip, her fingers not stopping for a second. Her expression showed that she knew I was enjoying what she was doing to me, her stare intense and sexy. Her eyes were dark with lust, sending a wave of pleasure through my entire body. It was intoxicating when she looked at me like that.

Nicole brushed her nose against mine, pushing her fingers in slightly harder. I moaned louder at the feeling, my body quivering.

I closed my eyes, lost in everything I was feeling. Nicole's wet body pressed against mine, her fingers working their magic... The warm water falling over us... My back pressed against the no longer cold wall of the shower. Each feeling was so different from the other that it was almost overwhelming, but in the best way.

"Don't stop, Nicole. Keep going," I whimpered.

She kept going, faster and harder, hitting my g-spot with each thrust of her fingers. My body was trembling and I was biting my lip, trying to keep quiet as I held onto her. My legs felt weak, like they were about to give out the closer I got to my orgasm.

"I'm- I'm gonna-" I breathed, my eyes closed. I leaned my head back, panting as I felt the pleasure building up; getting more intense.  
Nicole kissed my neck, just under my ear. "Come for me, Waverly." She whispered in my ear, her breath tickling my skin.

The heel of her hand pressed against my clit as she fingered me, her fingers still deep inside and hitting all the right spots. Her hand rubbed against me, causing added pleasure, which pushed me over the edge.

My body shook as I came hard on her fingers, my hips instinctively moving against her hand. "Oh, God. Nicole-" I squeaked, my eyes squeezing shut as my legs trembled. I unintentionally pulled on her hair as she slowed her fingers, hitting that sweet spot one last time.

Nicole moaned when I pulled her hair, her fingers disappearing from inside of me before grazing against my clit. I moaned quietly, kissing her soft lips. She kissed me back, her hand moving from between my legs to my lower back. She bit my lip gently, pulling me closer to her, as if it were even possible.

I stepped forward, pushing Nicole under the water before pulling away from the kiss as the water poured over us. I turned us around, pushing Nicole back against the wall before kissing her again. I ran my hands all over her body, feeling each and every dip and curve I'd come to grow very familiar with. I'd practically memorized what her body felt like at this point and I was quite proud of that fact.

My lips left hers, trailing down to her neck, moaning as I felt her nails drag down my back. The room was filled with steam from the heat of the water (and our bodies, no doubt), as I continued kissing down her body until I was on my knees, biting down on the skin of her stomach. She moaned, her eyes on me as she watched me run my hands up and down her sides. I kissed her thighs, my hands moving to massage her breasts.

I wasted no time, lowering myself a bit more before I attached my mouth to Nicole's clit, letting my tongue slide over it. Her entire body tensed up and she took my hand, interlocking our fingers while her other hand was tangled up in my hair.

I opened my mouth wider, rolling my tongue over her folds as I watched Nicole's eyes close, her head leaning back as she let out a soft sigh of pleasure. I moaned against her as I kept going, enjoying the taste of her on my tongue.

Nicole's fingers ran through my hair before holding my head in place, her hips beginning to move in response to what my tongue was doing to her. "Oh, Waverly... That feels so good," she moaned.

I smiled a bit as she unconsciously started grinding against my mouth. She looked down at me, her eyebrows furrowed as she moaned.

"Oh, God. Yes. Don't stop," she breathed.

Her head leaned back again, her eyes closed once more. I loved seeing her like this... Her body and hair wet, her face flushed.

 _We should do this more often..._

Nicole caressed the back of my hand with her thumb, her opposite hand gripping my hair tightly. Though her grip on my hair was tight, it didn't hurt at all. Actually, it was kind of sexy.

She pulled on my hair, pulling my head closer to her.

Scratch that. It was _very_ sexy.

I moaned at the feeling of her pulling my hair and kept my tongue going, occasionally sucking on her clit. I tried to slip my tongue inside of her a couple of times, but that proved to be quite difficult from our current position.

Nicole moaned a bit louder and the way she was moving her body gave me a signal that she was about to come. I took that as an opportunity to stop what I was doing, earning a protesting whine from Nicole.

"No, don't stop. Please, keep going." She begged, looking down at me.  
I looked up at her, mischief in my eyes as I released her hand. "You want me to keep going?" I asked her, tilting my head to the side.  
Nicole nodded, biting her lip. "Mhm," she hummed in confirmation.

I took my hand and slowly ran my thumb along her wet pussy, kissing just under her belly button as I teased her.

Nicole's mouth opened, a quiet gasp escaping her lips as she watched me with a lustful gaze.

When Champ used to look at me like that, it bothered me... But when _she_ looked at me like that, it was the sexiest thing I'd ever seen.

Just the simple fact that she wanted me so badly excited me.

I looked down and circled her entrance with my index finger, feeling just how wet she was. Just the feeling made me moan out loud.

I bit my lip, looking up at Nicole. "You're so wet," I told her.

Nicole only nodded, the look in her eyes begging for me. I ran my other hand up her side as I slipped two fingers inside of her, watching as she closed her eyes. She was so warm and wet inside...

"Your fingers-" Nicole breathed, stopping short when my mouth returned to her clit and I started swirling my tongue around it while thrusting my fingers in and out of her.

It didn't take long for her to come all over my fingers, her walls clenching as her body tensed up. She bit her lip, whimpering loudly as she squeezed her eyes shut, pulling on my hair.

"Fu- Waverly!" She cried out.  
I slowed my fingers, pulling away from her clit. "Shh. You have to be quiet..." I teased, pushing my fingers deep inside of her, curling them the way she'd done to me.

Nicole's legs trembled as she looked down at me. I pulled my fingers out before pushing them back in slowly, going deeper this time while I rubbed her clit with my thumb. She body shook again and she let out another whimper before she finally grabbed my wrist, pushing my hand away.

"Okay, okay. Stop, stop, stop." Nicole giggled, a huge smile on her face. "My legs are about to give out, Waverly. That's enough," she told me.

I smiled, biting my lip as I pulled my fingers out of her. I stood up and she kissed me hard, pulling me close again. I moaned against her lips, smiling as she ran her hands up and down my back. I pulled away after a few seconds and Nicole rested her forehead against mine, her eyes closed.

"That was... wow," she breathed.  
I chuckled, watching her break out into a smile. "That good, huh?" I asked, putting my hands on the back of her neck.  
Nicole laughed quietly. "Better," she replied.  
I bit my lip as Nicole opened her eyes to look at me. "Really?" I asked, pulling away to look at her.  
"Yes, really." She smiled at me, leaning forward to kiss my cheek.  
I giggled. "We should probably actually take a shower now... Finish up before we turn into prunes," I told her.  
She chuckled, nodding as she pulled away. "You're right," she agreed.

We separated from each other before washing ourselves, finishing our shower after however long we'd been in there. Nicole washed my body and I washed hers, though we both washed our own hair. When we were done, we rinsed off and then got out. Nicole grabbed the closest towel and handed it to me, allowing me to dry off first before stepping out of the shower. I grabbed the other towel and handed it to her, watching as she took it from my hands and began to dry herself.

"You know... Despite how good all of that was, I think I'd be able to live without it." I said, looking at Nicole as I used a smaller towel to dry my hair.  
Nicole looked at me, an eyebrow raised. "Really? What makes you say that?" She asked, seeming slightly panicked.  
I shrugged, bending over to wrap the towel around my hair. When I was finished, I stood up straight, looking at her again. "I just mean that... it's not the most important thing. Not that I don't enjoy having sex with you!" I clarified, making sure she didn't get the wrong idea.  
She nodded slowly, using her towel to dry her short hair. "Okay... I think I understand," she replied.  
"I love you for your personality, and while the sex is an absolute _plus_ ," I started. I stepped closer to her as she wrapped the towel around her body. "It's a plus that I can do without if I have to. Because I love who you are."  
Nicole blushed, smiling at me. "Me too," she replied. She looked down. "After my last relationship, it's really nice to have something like this with you."  
I tilted my head to the side, slightly confused. "Your last relationship?" I asked. She'd never told me about her ex.  
She nodded. "Yeah... There was a girl I dated back in the city. We broke up before I met you," she answered. She shrugged it off like it wasn't a big deal.

When we were all dried off, we went back into my room. Nicole got dressed in her pajamas first and then got the bed ready. When she finished, she got under the covers and watched as I used brushed my hair, my towel still wrapped tightly around my body. I smiled, watching Nicole get comfortable in the bed. She moved all of the blankets onto my side, except for one, which was just how I liked it.

When I finished getting dressed, I walked over and sat down on the bed. "Sit up, baby." I told her, my voice soft and gentle as I took her hand.  
Nicole sat up, looking at me with concerned eyes. "What is it?" She asked, seemingly worried.  
"You never talk about your ex... I'm just curious, you know?" I said, playing with her fingers.  
She shrugged. "You never asked... and the way things ended, I didn't really want to talk about her."  
I looked up at her. The way things ended? "What do you mean? Was it a bad break-up?"  
"I mean... Kind of. It was just... I don't know. In the end, things were just all, like, broken and weird. Our whole relationship wasn't exactly the best, if I'm being honest."  
"Tell me." I encouraged her, still holding her hand tightly. "I wanna know," I added.  
Nicole seemed to consider it for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Her name is Shae... I met her sophomore year, when we were fifteen. We didn't date at first, we were just friends. At least until junior year," she started. I nodded. "She wasn't my first girlfriend, but she was the first girl I was serious about. We dated from the beginning of junior year to summer vacation afterward, so almost a year."

I wasn't surprised that Shae wasn't Nicole's first girlfriend, I was more surprised that Nicole hadn't been serious about the girls she'd dated before her.

"Go on," I told her.  
Nicole nodded. "Our relationship went really fast... We had sex really early in our relationship, and I think that was probably the reason we thought we were in love."  
"Was she the first girl you ever had sex with?" I asked curiously.  
Nicole shook her head. "No. Well- I mean, I guess so. I'd done things with other girls before her, but she was the first I'd...really had sex with." She answered hesitantly, seeming like she needed to think about it for a second. She shook her head, continuing. "Anyways, we were practically inseparable after our first time, and we were constantly having sex every chance we got. It was a really intense relationship. It was hot, but it wasn't... real... No matter how much it felt like it was." She let out a sigh, shrugging again. "Things started to fall apart when my parents caught us-"  
"They _caught_ you? Doing what?" I asked her.  
"Making out in my room. We weren't, like, naked or anything... We were just kissing, and they happened to walk in on us."  
"Oh, God. That's how they found out?"  
She nodded. "Yep. It was pretty bad... And it messed things up with Shae. We got into a huge argument right before my parents decided to send me to live with my grandma. Months went by and she was always trying to get me back, trying to talk to me. Then I moved here and she just... left it alone. I haven't heard from her in almost a year."

When Nicole finished the story, I felt bad for making her tell me. I kissed the back of her hand, caressing her cheek with my opposite hand.

"I'm sorry..." I told her, watching her close her eyes and lean into my touch.  
"It's okay. It's in the past," she responded. She opened her eyes and smiled at me. "Let's go to bed."

I nodded, standing up as she laid back down. I turned the light off and got under the covers, taking Nicole's hand as we got comfortable. I let out a sigh, turning to face her.

I scooted a bit closer, wrapping my arms around hers and snuggling into her shoulder. I took a deep breath, taking in her scent. Somehow, though we'd just taken a shower, she still smelled the same as she always did. It was insane to think that vanilla-dipped donuts were her natural scent, but at this point, I was convinced it was. "I love the way you smell," I muttered.  
She chuckled, interlocking our fingers under the blankets. "You do?" She asked.  
I nodded, closing my eyes. "You always smell like vanilla-dipped donuts," I told her. I buried my face in her neck, letting out a sigh of content. "They're my favorite."

Nicole wrapped her arms around my waist, holding me close to her. My ear was now pressed against her chest, and I could hear her heartbeat. It was strangely comforting to hear her heart beating, paired with the sound of her breathing and the steady rise and fall of her chest.

"I love you, Nicole," I told her.  
"I love you too, Waverly." She responded, her chest vibrating gently as she spoke.

I let out another sigh as I drifted off to sleep, comfortable and safe in my girlfriend's arms.

 **A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Lots of sex, but also some heartfelt moments! Just like the song I named the chapter after. Very fitting, wouldn't you say?**

 **Thank you for reading! I can't wait for you guys to see what I have planned for the sequel!**


	30. Letting Go (At Least For A Little While)

Today is Nicole's going away party. It really isn't necessary, because she's just going to be a few hours away, but Gus and Curtis insisted. They won't get to see her often after she leaves, so they wanted to do something special for her; say goodbye.

I agreed that it was special, but I wasn't ready to let her go. We spent the entire summer together, not once leaving each other's side. It was nice while it lasted, and I knew that Nicole would be back in Purgatory after a while... But even with the promise of frequent phone calls and possible Skype sex, I just didn't want her to leave.

I didn't want to go to sleep without being able to hug her and smell my most favorite smell in the world: her.

I know it's stupid, and I shouldn't be this stubborn, but I can't help it. What if she meets someone better over there? What if she falls in love with someone else and forgets about me?

"Baby? Are you okay?" Nicole asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I looked up at her, squinting in the sunlight as we continued walking down the street. We were out in Purgatory, shopping, while Gus and Curtis set things up at the house.

"I'm fine... Just thinking," I responded. I looked back down at the ground and sighed, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket.  
Nicole nudged me gently, pushing her shoulder against mine. "Penny for your thoughts?" She asked sweetly.  
I stopped walking, turning to face her. I took a deep breath, gathering the courage to tell her what was on my mind. "I don't want you to leave," I told her.

Nicole blinked, looking at me with a confused expression, her eyebrows furrowed. It took her a while to find the words she was going to respond with, but eventually she did.

"That's what this is about? That's why you've been quiet all day?" She asked, shaking her head a bit.

I nodded quickly, shrugging and turning away from her. "I've just... It's all I can think about. Gus and Curtis wanted to throw you a surprise going away party, and it was my job to get you out of the house and distract you while they put it together and-"

 _Crap. I wasn't supposed to tell her!_

"Wait. Gus and Curtis are what?" Nicole asked, grabbing my hand and pulling me back towards her.  
"Oh, fudgenuggets." I grumbled quietly, turning to face her again. "I wasn't supposed to tell you..."

Nicole shook her head. "Look, that's not what matters right now. What matters is that you don't have to worry about anything. Okay?" She took both of my hands in hers and looked right into my eyes. "I love you, Waverly Earp. No matter where and how far I go, I will always come back to you. Because you're everything to me."

I knew she meant it. I don't know how, but I just knew. It felt like something she would never say if she didn't mean it. I didn't respond. Not at first.

Instead, I leaned forward and kissed her. She kissed back, her hands releasing mine and moving to my hips. After a few seconds, I pulled away and rested my forehead against hers.

"I love you so much," I told her. I took a deep breath. "And I know how important this is to you, so... I'll support you."  
Nicole smiled, placing a small, quick kiss on the tip of my nose. "Thank you, baby."

I smiled back, watching her eyes light up, and suddenly I felt okay. Knowing that she'd be back, that she'd always come back... It made me feel a lot better. It made feel like I was finally ready to let her go.

"You promise we'll talk every night?" I asked, my tone very innocent and sweet.  
Nicole chuckled, nodding. "Yes, Wave. I promise we'll talk every night." She told me, pulling me close and leaning down to kiss me.

I eagerly pushed my lips back against hers, almost forgetting we were in public. Nicole didn't, however, and pulled away after a few seconds.

"Come on. Let's go," she told me, pulling me in the direction we'd been walking earlier.

I smiled, gladly following her as she held my hand.

 _A few hours later..._

After walking around Purgatory for a while, I took Nicole back to the house. When we walked through the front door, we were greeted by Gus, Curtis, Robin, Chrissy, and Sheriff Nedley.

"Surprise!" They shouted at Nicole.  
Nicole smiled widely, laughing in feigned surprise. "Wow! Thank you, guys!" She exclaimed.

None of them seemed to notice that she was faking, they just smiled at her and gave her a hug one by one.

"Good to see you, kid." Sheriff Nedley told her, his hand on her shoulder. "You'll do great at the academy."  
Nicole gave a nod and smiled at him. "Thank you, sir."

The rest of the night was full of all of us talking and enjoying each other's company. It was great to just sit down and talk, holding hands with Nicole almost the whole night. I didn't leave her side all night because I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible before she left tomorrow.

She got into the university in the city, and would be taking classes there for two years before she actually got to start at the academy.

It would be hard being without her, but I'd manage. I knew I would.

After the party, Sheriff Nedley left, and Chrissy and Robin stayed. Chrissy wanted to go out, just the four of us, which I was worried would be awkward considering Robin is her ex-boyfriend... But it wasn't that bad, actually.

We went to see a movie and then got dinner and walked around Purgatory. We stopped at a park and sat down, Nicole wrapping her arms around me.

"So are you guys gonna get to see each other at all?" Chrissy asked, watching us hold on to each other.  
I shrugged, resting my head on Nicole's shoulder. "Yeah, I mean, we'll definitely try. But between the classes I'll be taking online and Nicole's classes, I don't know if we'll be able to visit that often." I answered, my stomach doing flips as I talked about it.  
Nicole nodded a bit, her cheek resting against my head. "Yeah, but we'll talk on the phone and video chat as much as possible." She added, moving to kiss my forehead.

I smiled, closing my eyes. I let out a happy sigh, feeling Nicole's arms wrapped around me tightly, her lips against my forehead.

"Ooh, video chat. Like sex?" Chrissy asked teasingly, waggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.  
I blushed, chuckling. "Shut up," I told her. I smacked her arm gently, being playful.  
Chrissy laughed a bit. "Come on, seriously. Are you guys gonna do that? Like phone sex, or video sex?" She asked, genuinely curious.  
"Well, I mean... It definitely crossed our minds..." Nicole replied, her voice trailing off as her hand moved a bit lower on my waist.  
I bit my lip, putting my hand on hers to stop it from going any further. "It was an idea." I added, lifting my head and giving Nicole a look.

Nicole chuckled, kissing my cheek as she interlocked our fingers instead of attempting to move her hand any lower.

Robin chuckled, shaking his head. "You guys are adorable," he told us.

I smiled at him before looking over at Chrissy, who was scowling at her phone.

"What's going on, Chrissy?" I asked, my smile fading a bit.  
Chrissy rolled her eyes, handing me her phone. "This is disgusting." She spat, shaking her head.  
I took the phone from her and looked at it, immediately gasping and putting it face down on my leg. It was a dick pic! "From Champ?" I asked her, shaking my head in disgust.  
Chrissy looked at me, nodding. "Can you believe him?" She asked. I shook my head, handing the phone back to Chrissy.  
"What? What did he send?" Nicole asked, confused.  
"You don't wanna know," Chrissy and I said in unison.  
I looked at Nicole. "Seriously."  
Nicole shrugged. "Show me," she told Chrissy.

Chrissy raised an eyebrow at me, and I shrugged in response.

"Are you sure?" Chrissy asked Nicole.  
Nicole nodded, holding her hand out. "Yeah," she replied.  
"Okay," Chrissy muttered. She handed her phone to Nicole, who took it from her and looked at the screen.

Nicole's face changed immediately and she pretended to gag. I laughed, leaning my head back against her shoulder.

She held the phone still, shaking her head at the picture. "He's gross. In more ways than one," she said. She handed the phone back and blinked as if she were trying to get the image out of her eyes.

Chrissy looked at Robin, holding the phone out to him. "Do you wanna see, Robin?" She asked, trying to include him.  
Robin shook his head quickly. "Nope. I have no interest in Champ's unsolicited dick pic." He responded, pushing her hand away. He paused for a second, looking at the turned over phone in her hand. "On second thought, I'm kinda curious." He took the phone from Chrissy and snickered.  
"Definitely overcompensating, right?" Nicole asked, an amused grin spreading across her face.  
Robin nodded, handing Chrissy her phone back. "I'd keep that. For insurance." He told her, clearly amused.

I felt weird about the fact that they'd all just seen my ex-boyfriend's dick... Especially Nicole. I wasn't expecting her to be so calm about it.

Nicole shook her head. "I can't believe you put that thing in your mouth, Waverly." She said out of nowhere, catching me off-guard.  
My eyes widened and I turned to look at her. "What? How do you know I put it in my mouth?" I asked, shocked that she'd said that.  
Chrissy gave me a look, raising her eyebrows. "You're really gonna say that you didn't put it in your mouth? At all?" She asked, not believing for a second that I didn't.  
I rolled my eyes. "I mean, I did, but that doesn't mean I enjoyed it," I muttered. "Champ made me feel like I had to."  
Nicole shook her head. "No, see- That's- You should never feel obligated to give someone head. You should do it because you want to," she spoke.

I was kind of surprised. I'd never heard her use that word before.

"Do you do it?" Chrissy asked her.  
Nicole looked at Chrissy, confused. "Do what?"  
"Give Waverly head," Chrissy clarified.  
I blushed, swallowing hard. "Wh- Chrissy!" I shook my head, not wanting to have this conversation.  
"Well, I-" Nicole started.  
 _Nope. Not happening._ "Nicole Rayleigh Haught, do not answer that question." I wasn't mad, just stern.

Chrissy and Robin did not need to hear about this.

"Oooh. Someone's in trouble," Robin teased in a sing-song voice. He had an amused grin spread across his lips.  
I rolled my eyes. "She is not," I insisted.  
"So let her tell us," Chrissy told me.  
I shook my head, not breaking my resolve. "Absolutely not. That is our private business."  
"We all just saw Champ's private business," Robin shrugged.  
"True," Nicole replied.

I shook my head again, my face letting them know I wasn't going to budge. They sighed and backed down, not asking about it again.

We spent the rest of our time at the park talking about high school and how crazy it was that we were done.

I mean, I couldn't believe that I had graduated. I was sixteen (almost seventeen), and I was already a high school graduate. It felt like I was too young for all of this, even though I knew why it happened.

"Waves, you're sixteen, right?" Chrissy asked, looking over at me. I nodded. "How were you a senior again?" She asked.  
"I skipped a grade," I answered.  
Robin's eyebrows furrowed. "Really?" He asked.  
I nodded, turning my head to look at Robin. "You didn't know that?"  
"I must've forgotten. That's crazy though, you're only sixteen and you were valedictorian of our senior class." Robin seemed surprised for a second, but his expression changed. He was impressed. "Not that I'm surprised, or anything. You are really smart."  
I smiled. "Years of hard work."

It wasn't, though. Sure, I'd worked hard, but that was only because I wanted to do good in school and have people think of me as more than just Willa and Wynonna's little sister. I'd made a reputation for myself and it wasn't bad... It was actually really good.

Chrissy sighed as she checked her phone, looking at the time. "Well. Curfew is creeping on me. Time to go," she groaned. She stood up, brushing the grass off of her pants.  
Robin stood up and looked at her, rubbing his hands together awkwardly. "Hey, do you think I might be able to get a ride with you, Chrissy?" He asked. His expression was nervous, showing that he was scared she'd say no.  
Chrissy, surprisingly, nodded. "Of course. Come on," she put a hand on his shoulder.

They both said bye to us and then walked to Chrissy's car. Nicole and I stayed seated on the grass, and I leaned my head against her shoulder.

Once they were gone, Nicole nudged me.

"Hey... Come here," she muttered.

I looked at her and she patted her legs. I blushed, chuckling as I moved to straddle her lap. Nicole wrapped her arms around my midsection, resting her head on my chest. I sighed happily, wrapping my arms around her. I ran my fingers through her hair, closing my eyes as I focused on the feeling of her arms wrapped around me tightly.

"I love you so much," I told her. That was all I could think of at this moment... How much I love her. "Like. More than anything, Nicole. Like- like, to Pluto and back... Bigger than the sun."  
Nicole chuckled, moving away from my chest to look at me. "Wow. That's a lot," she replied.  
I nodded, looking back at her. I cupped my her face in my hands and caressed her cheeks with my thumbs. "Yeah... Yeah, it is." I closed my eyes and leaned forward, pressing my lips against hers.

Her lips felt the same as always... Soft and plump. It was a softness I'd practically memorized at this point, just like I'd memorized every dip and curve of her body and the way her skin felt under my hands. There was absolutely nothing that could make me not love her anymore.

Nicole pulled away from the kiss and smiled at me. "You are amazing, Waverly Earp."  
Waverly chuckled, shaking my head. My nose brushed against hers as I did, turning it into a nose kiss. "You're everything and more, Nicole Haught."

The next day was the day Nicole left. We woke up, same as always: in each other's arms. I didn't want to get out of bed because I knew it would be a long time before I got to experience that again.

"Waves... It's time to get up," Nicole whispered in my ear.  
I shook my head, burying my face in her neck. "No," I protested.  
Nicole laughed, running her fingers through my hair. "Baby, come on."  
I moved away from her, looking at her with furrowed eyebrows. "I don't want to," I whined.

Nicole put her hand on my cheek, leaning close. Her nose brushed against mine for a second before I pulled away.

"I haven't brushed my teeth yet!" I exclaimed, horrified.  
She laughed, pulling me closer again as she shook her head. "I don't care. Kiss me," she whispered.

I gave in, allowing her to kiss me passionately as I closed my eyes. We pulled away after a few seconds and rested our foreheads against each other.

"I don't wanna leave..." Nicole spoke, surprising me.  
I opened my eyes, pulling back to look at her. "What?" I asked, confused.  
Nicole looked at me, the sadness evident in her eyes. "I don't wanna leave," she repeated.  
I swallowed, running my fingers through her hair. "But you have to," I finished for her. I knew it was coming.  
She nodded. "I have to."

It was my turn to play the reassuring girlfriend. It was my turn to be supportive of Nicole and encourage her to go no matter how much I didn't want her to. This was her dream! I didn't want her putting it on the line just so we could stay with each other. Besides, it wasn't like we were breaking up in order for this to happen.

"Yes. You do. So go, Nicole." I told her, looking her right in her eyes.  
Her eyebrows furrowed, her lips turning down into a slight frown. "What?" She asked.  
I blinked, realizing my tone had been off. "I meant, go and do what you've always dreamed of doing: become a cop. I'm not going to stand in the way of your career, so don't worry about me; don't worry about us. Go and do what you have to do to make this happen," I rephrased. My tone was much more encouraging, my voice filled with love as I spoke to her.

Nicole hugged me, the side of her face pressed against my chest as she held on to me tightly.

I wrapped my arms around her, running my fingers through her hair, and closed my eyes.

We stayed like that for a while before Nicole actually had to leave. It was early in the morning because she was supposed to get there before the afternoon. She had all of her things packed up and in the car, except for a few things I refused to let her take (like her sweater), and all that was left was the good-byes.

Gus, Curtis, and Nicole and I stood outside the house, not sure what to say exactly.

"Well, you be careful over there in the city, Nicole. Don't take nuthin' from nobody and take care of yerself," Curtis told her. He was trying not to cry, I could tell.  
Nicole smiled, nodding. "Of course, Curtis. Thank you so much for everything," she responded.  
Curtis nodded, giving Nicole a quick hug, patting her on her back. "Of course. Yer family, kid."

He stepped back, allowing Gus to step forward. She gave Nicole a tight hug, telling her the same as Curtis: take care of herself. She would, of course. I knew she would. She was good at taking care of herself.

When Gus stepped back, I knew it was my turn. I swallowed, trying to hold the tears back but as soon as Nicole's arms were around me, it got a lot harder.

"God, I'm gonna miss you." I told her, closing my eyes as I buried her face in my neck. I breathed in her scent, taking it in for probably the last time in a while.  
"I'm gonna miss you too, baby. But remember... It's not forever, and we will see each other." Nicole promised, pressing a kiss to the side of my head.

I nodded as we pulled away, just a little bit. She pressed her forehead against mine and we stayed there for a second, our eyes closed. Nicole's hands moved to the sides of my face and her forehead disappeared. I felt her lips press against mine gently, and I felt like I was in heaven. I kissed her back, my hands moving to the back of her shoulders.

Her kiss... Her touch... It was everything to me, especially in that moment. It was like Nicole had managed to out every ounce of love she had for me into one kiss.

She pulled away from my lips and kissed my forehead, lingering there for a second. She pressed her forehead against mine one last time before finally pulling away and looking at me.

"I love you," she told me.  
I nodded. "I love you, too." I replied, taking her hand in mine and squeezing it.

I walked with her, over to her car, and we shared one more kiss right before she got in. We didn't let go until the very last second, so she could close the door.

She started the engine and then waved at us with a sad smile.

Gus and Curtis walked up behind me, Gus wrapping her arm around me. We waved back and Nicole pulled out of her parking spot before driving away.

"You did good, baby girl." Gus told me, pressing her forehead against the side of my head as she hugged me from the side.  
"You'll be seein' her again before ya know it, kid." Curtis told me, putting a hand on my shoulder.  
I nodded, allowing them to embrace me. It was comforting, but not as comforting as Nicole's embrace was. "I know. Thank you," I told them.

Gus kissed my cheek. "Anytime, darlin'. Now come on inside," she told me. She pulled away and took my hand, leading me back inside the house.

I kept telling myself over and over: it's not forever.

 **A/N: And that concludes My Best Friend's Haught! I hope you all enjoyed this story, I know I definitely enjoyed writing it. I'm so sorry it took so long to finish this chapter. I've been working on things for my comic book company I started with my sister (** **ZYRA** **Comics** **if you'd like to check it out!)**

 **We've got a lot of work to do for the next two months because we're going to** **ClexaCon** **2019!**

 **So if any of you are gonna be there, please don't hesitate to check out our table in the artist alley! It would mean a lot!**

 **I will get started on the sequel (which will be titled There's A Honey) as soon as I can.**

 **Much love,**  
 **Jordyn 💕**


	31. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hello, everyone!

I just wanted to let you all know that the first chapter of the sequel to this story has finally been published!

It's called There's A Honey!

Thank you so much for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy the new story!

Much love,  
Jordyn


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